by: Charles Nikko Limon
The investigation into the fire that broke out in the records section of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Cordillera office has been turned over to the central office of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
The fire occurred past 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14, inside the financial management records room of the agency.
Authorities said the probe is still ongoing.
On Thursday morning, security was tightened around the DPWH Cordillera compound.
A news team attempted to get a statement from the agency, but officials said media would no longer be allowed inside the premises and that they have yet to release an official comment.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong confirmed that the case is now under the jurisdiction of the BFP central office.
“They were able to gather evidence such as burned items and some documents. They will also check if there was an accelerator involved. These will be sent to Manila, including the wirings, to determine if there was electrical arcing,” Magalong said.
The mayor also revealed that employees had noticed unusual activity before the fire started.
“Before the fire incident, they observed sparks from a post beside the DPWH building. After that, their current fluctuated, and a few seconds or minutes later they smelled smoke, which they tried to trace,” he said.
Earlier, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the storage room to be placed off limits, allowing only investigators to enter the area.
Magalong said results of the investigation may be released over the weekend or early next week, depending on the progress of the BFP inquiry.
In an earlier statement, DPWH re
