BFP: 7 hurt, P300M worth of damage in Manila Central Post Office fire

The number of injured people from the Manila Central Post Office fire has climbed to seven, while the worth of damage is estimated to be around P300 million, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) on Monday.

In an update, the BFP said injured persons include firefighters: Fire Officer II Joel Libutan, Fire Officer I Carlo Abrenica, Senior Fire Officer II Julio Erlanda, Fire Officer II Jeremy Roque, and Fire Officer I Josaphat Araña.

Fire volunteer Toto Doslin and civilian Elain Dacoycoy were also hurt.

Their injuries were first-degree burns, swelling and tenderness of muscles, allergic reactions, possible fracture, or laceration, among others.

At least two structures were burned, and their damage cost more or less P300 million, according to the BFP.

Interviewed on GMA TV’s Balitanghali, Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) Postmaster General Luis Carlos said they are looking into indemnity for the burned parcels.

"In the postal union, there is an indemnity that we call," he said when asked if PHLPost has insurance for the burned parcels.

"We'll have to get lang the data coming from central mail exchange kung ano yung parcel na nandidito at saka kung ano yung customs items na nandidito din. So we have to get all of those data and we’ll have to work on that one," he added.

("We'll just have to get the data coming from the central mail exchange on what parcels and customs items are here. So we have to get all of those data and we’ll have to work on that one.)

Carlos said the stamps in the museum, the Manila Central Post Office building itself, and their records are among the most valuable things that were destroyed by the fire.

"Yung museum kasi most of the stamps are there, so lahat ng mga artifacts na nakatabi nandodoon lahat. So yun ang mga importante plus the record of the post office for quite some time. Nandyan yan," he said.

(The museum is the most valuable because it stores the stamps, including artifacts. The records of the post office are also important.)

According to him, some copies of the damaged records and stamps are uploaded or kept in other places, such as their office in the Calabarzon-Mimaropa area and the Central Mail Exchange.

"Some of the records have been up in the Cloud. Yung iba naman nakuha namin it’s on a film, and some of those records are in the region, in area 4, in region 4. So meron namang mga natabing records," he said.

(Some of the records have been up in the Cloud. We took a picture of other records on a film, and some records are in area or region 4. So there were records kept.)

"The main heart of the operations comes from the Central Mail Exchange," he added.

In the next few days, the Manila Central Post Office operations will be moved to the Foreign Surface Mail Distribution Center (FSMDC) building, according to Carlos.

Meanwhile, the corporate offices will be housed at the building beside the burned establishment and at the canteen area, he added.

The fire was believed to have started in the basement and immediately reached the top floors.

It reached first alarm at 11:41 p.m. on Sunday and general alarm, or its highest fire alarm level, at 5:54 a.m. on Monday.

The BFP said the fire was declared under control at 7:22 a.m. —VAL, GMA Integrated News