LACK OF gears and defective equipment are among the reasons why the Cebu City Fire Station has “very minimal capability” in addressing fires in medium and high-rise buildings, City Fire Marshall Noel Nelson Ababon said during the executive session conducted by the city council on Jan. 16 to discuss the fire that hit the Metro Ayala shopping mall last Jan. 5. “We have very minimal capability,” he told the council. Mr. Ababon said the fire department needs additional equipment like fire hoses, water tanks, thermal imaging camera, and breathing apparatus. “We have to complete the inventory of all our equipment (so we can ask the Bureau of Fire central office for what is lacking and what we need). We will also provide a copy of the inventory to the city government,” he said. Mr. Ababon added that there is a need to improve coordination with volunteer fire-fighting groups in positioning the gears.

AYALA MALL REOPENS
Meanwhile, the fire chief reported to the council that Metro Ayala complied with the fire code. The shopping mall is reopening today, Jan. 18. In a tweet posted yesterday, Ayala Center Cebu said: “We are thankful to be able to welcome and celebrate with the community in time for the fiesta Señor,” referring to the Sinulog, Cebu’s biggest annual festival. — The Freeman

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