Cebu mall fire declared ‘under control’

The fire at the Ayala Center Cebu's Metro Department Store and Supermarket was declared under control on Sunday afternoon.

Senior Fire Officer 2 Christopher Orbiso of the Cebu City fire bureau told GMA News Online that fire under control was declared at 12:45 p.m.

Orbiso said that the only portion that was on fire was the shoe section of the department store on the second floor.

By declaring fire under control, the fire official said the blaze will no longer spread to other areas.

He said efforts to put out the fire was ongoing. He, however, said that firemen will no longer try to enter the building because the structure has become very weak.

He said that the upper floors are in danger of collapsing. According to a report on 24 Oras Weekend, the mall management's assessment warned of possible structure collapse on the fifth and sixth floors in particular.

Instead of entering the mall, several holes have been created in the establishment's walls where firemen are planning to place their water cannons to totally put out the fire.

Orbiso said the mall's department store was still covered with thick smoke as of 2:30 p.m.

Fire broke out at the mall's department store at around 9:30 p.m. on Friday.

Authorities had said it may take two days to totally put out the fire at the mall.

No one has been reported hurt by the fire. —ALG/BM, GMA News