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Ayala Land shuts down centralized gas system at Serendra condo complex
By AMANDA FERNANDEZ, GMA News
(Updated 9:21 p.m.) Ayala Land Inc. has shut down the centralized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution system at the entire Serendra condominium complex in Taguig City as a precautionary measure, the property firm announced Monday.
The move came after investigators concluded last Friday that a gas leak, not a bomb, was the most likely cause of the explosion at the luxury Two Serendra unit that killed three people on May 31.
The company immediately shut down the LPG system in the Two Serendra condominium complex minutes after the explosion, and subsequently evacuated its residents.
On Saturday, Ayala Land decided to shut down the gas system at the adjacent One Serendra condominium complex as well "for the purpose of conducting a thorough inspection and series of tests to ensure the safety and integrity of the system."
An ALI officer said authorities also inspected the gas pipes in Serendra's restaurant cluster, which is located between the two residential complexes, but decided not to shut down the system there as it is used mainly for cooking.
"This is in line with [Interior and Local Government] Secretary Mar Roxas’s recommendation for an immediate and comprehensive check on the LPG systems of all residential and commercial establishments within Bonifacio Global City to ensure that all components, including fittings and meters, are safe," the company said in a statement regarding the LPG shutdown at One Serendra.
On his Twitter account Sunday evening, Roxas said ALI president Tony Aquino informed him through text about the decision to shut down One Serendra's piped-in gas system.
The residents of Two Serendra have not yet been given clearance by the authorities to return to their homes. According to ALI, 78 units were affected by the evacuation of Two Serendra, with 62 families given temporary lodging elsewhere.
No evacuation has been ordered for One Serendra, even though its LPG system, used mainly for cooking, has been turned off.
Serendra Inc. president Bernard Vincent O. Dy has informed residents in One Serendra about the safety checks, and said inspections inside each unit would also be done with prior advice to the owners. The company did not say when the gas system in the building would be swtiched on again.
Meanwhile, the gas system at the damaged Two Serendra "remains off pending the completion of the government’s investigation, the conduct of repairs, and clearance from the relevant government agencies," the company statement said.
Danger from fault line?
Meanwhile, at a press briefing Monday, Roxas said authorities will check if Ayala Land had ensured the safety of the building, following reports that Bonifacio Global City's gas pipes may be sitting on top of the West Valley Fault Line.
"Hindi ibig sabihin kung may fault line, walang engineering solution para maprotektahan itong mga pipes ng mga ito," he said.
In a "24 Oras" report on Monday, University of the Philippines-National Institute of Geological Sciences (UP-NIGS) director Carlo Arcilla said according to their findings, BGC's gas pipes are likely sitting atop the fault line.
[The West Valley Fault Line] is not far from Serendra. Kung may mga gas pipes d'yan, most likely tinatamaan ['yung fault line]," he said.
"Ang gas pipes konting displacement, magli-leak na 'yung gas," he added.
Arcilla said he had warned several developers about the fault lines, which could move even without an earthquake, at the BGC. Moving faults could cut gas lines, he said.
"You're spending billions for a building and yet you could not even spend money to check the geohazards of that place?" Arcilla said.
According to Ayala Land, there is only one gas pipe system for the entire BGC, which has experienced a building boom in recent years with many upscale properties sprouting in the commercial district.
Meanwhile, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology director Renato Solidum said they have not seen any active branches of the fault line in BGC.
"Pag sinabi mong sanga, dapat konektado mismo 'dun sa pinakatinatahak ng West Valley Fault. Dapat siguraduhin kung 'yung mga maliliit na faults, kung sakaling mayroong nga, ay aktibo ba o hindi," Solidum said in the "24 Oras" report.
For their part, the management of the Bonifacio Gas Corporation and BGC said they are collecting official documents in order to address the issue, according to the television report.
At the briefing, Roxas said: "Sisiguruhin ng gobyerno na nagawa itong mga engineering solution at ginawa ang lahat upang maproteksyunan ang kapakanan ng mga naninirahan doon at ng mga dumadaan." — with a report from Marc Jayson Cayabyab/BM/YA, GMA News
The move came after investigators concluded last Friday that a gas leak, not a bomb, was the most likely cause of the explosion at the luxury Two Serendra unit that killed three people on May 31.
The company immediately shut down the LPG system in the Two Serendra condominium complex minutes after the explosion, and subsequently evacuated its residents.
On Saturday, Ayala Land decided to shut down the gas system at the adjacent One Serendra condominium complex as well "for the purpose of conducting a thorough inspection and series of tests to ensure the safety and integrity of the system."
An ALI officer said authorities also inspected the gas pipes in Serendra's restaurant cluster, which is located between the two residential complexes, but decided not to shut down the system there as it is used mainly for cooking.
"This is in line with [Interior and Local Government] Secretary Mar Roxas’s recommendation for an immediate and comprehensive check on the LPG systems of all residential and commercial establishments within Bonifacio Global City to ensure that all components, including fittings and meters, are safe," the company said in a statement regarding the LPG shutdown at One Serendra.
On his Twitter account Sunday evening, Roxas said ALI president Tony Aquino informed him through text about the decision to shut down One Serendra's piped-in gas system.
Recd the ff from ayala corp pres tony aquino: Hi Sec Mar-the whole Serendra Cond Corp has already agreed to shut down whole LPG system...
— Mar Roxas (@MARoxas) June 9, 2013
... This was completed early this morning. Checking of restaurants in our buildings on-going & will be completed today. FYI
— Mar Roxas (@MARoxas) June 9, 2013
The residents of Two Serendra have not yet been given clearance by the authorities to return to their homes. According to ALI, 78 units were affected by the evacuation of Two Serendra, with 62 families given temporary lodging elsewhere.
No evacuation has been ordered for One Serendra, even though its LPG system, used mainly for cooking, has been turned off.
Serendra Inc. president Bernard Vincent O. Dy has informed residents in One Serendra about the safety checks, and said inspections inside each unit would also be done with prior advice to the owners. The company did not say when the gas system in the building would be swtiched on again.
Meanwhile, the gas system at the damaged Two Serendra "remains off pending the completion of the government’s investigation, the conduct of repairs, and clearance from the relevant government agencies," the company statement said.
Danger from fault line?
Meanwhile, at a press briefing Monday, Roxas said authorities will check if Ayala Land had ensured the safety of the building, following reports that Bonifacio Global City's gas pipes may be sitting on top of the West Valley Fault Line.
"Hindi ibig sabihin kung may fault line, walang engineering solution para maprotektahan itong mga pipes ng mga ito," he said.
In a "24 Oras" report on Monday, University of the Philippines-National Institute of Geological Sciences (UP-NIGS) director Carlo Arcilla said according to their findings, BGC's gas pipes are likely sitting atop the fault line.
[The West Valley Fault Line] is not far from Serendra. Kung may mga gas pipes d'yan, most likely tinatamaan ['yung fault line]," he said.
"Ang gas pipes konting displacement, magli-leak na 'yung gas," he added.
Arcilla said he had warned several developers about the fault lines, which could move even without an earthquake, at the BGC. Moving faults could cut gas lines, he said.
"You're spending billions for a building and yet you could not even spend money to check the geohazards of that place?" Arcilla said.
According to Ayala Land, there is only one gas pipe system for the entire BGC, which has experienced a building boom in recent years with many upscale properties sprouting in the commercial district.
Meanwhile, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology director Renato Solidum said they have not seen any active branches of the fault line in BGC.
"Pag sinabi mong sanga, dapat konektado mismo 'dun sa pinakatinatahak ng West Valley Fault. Dapat siguraduhin kung 'yung mga maliliit na faults, kung sakaling mayroong nga, ay aktibo ba o hindi," Solidum said in the "24 Oras" report.
For their part, the management of the Bonifacio Gas Corporation and BGC said they are collecting official documents in order to address the issue, according to the television report.
At the briefing, Roxas said: "Sisiguruhin ng gobyerno na nagawa itong mga engineering solution at ginawa ang lahat upang maproteksyunan ang kapakanan ng mga naninirahan doon at ng mga dumadaan." — with a report from Marc Jayson Cayabyab/BM/YA, GMA News
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