MARIVELES, Bataan – Fire on Wednesday afternoon razed the factory of a Filipino-Chinese firm producing sando bags for exports inside the Area of Freeport Authority of Bataan (AFAB) in Mariveles town, leaving estimated damages of more than P100 million.
Rolando Uy, Filpak Industries plant manager, said that he was told that the fire in their factory building might have been caused by baby rockets or kuwitis that exploded in their printing section that contained highly-flammable chemicals.
“Maraming nagsabi sa akin na may mga nagpapaputok ng baby rockets o kuwitis bago nangyari ang sunog,” he said.
He also said there was no one inside the factory because workers are supposed to return this coming Monday.
Uy estimated the damage to their firm at more than P100 million. He said that their machines alone used in producing sando bags for export to the United States cost more than a million pesos each.
The Filipino-Chinese firm had been with the Bataan Economic Zone, recently turned into the AFAB, since 1978. Its 80 workers were on vacation since Holy Tuesday for alleged lack of materials.
Senior Fire Officer 1 Romeo Abergas, Mariveles Bureau of Fire Protection chief, said that when they arrived at 3:30 p.m., the fire was already big and raging. Seven firetrucks from Mariveles, BEZ, Limay and Balanga responded placing the fire under control at 6:30 p.m. or three hours after.
He said the blaze could no longer spread to neighboring factory buildings but the fire continued. “It would take the whole night before they can declare a total fireout because inside the burning factory are flammable items like machines, printing chemicals, raw materials and finished plastic products.”
The fire chief said no one was hurt in the incident. As to the cause of the fire, Abergas said they were still in the process of investigation.
Rolando Uy, Filpak Industries plant manager, said that he was told that the fire in their factory building might have been caused by baby rockets or kuwitis that exploded in their printing section that contained highly-flammable chemicals.
“Maraming nagsabi sa akin na may mga nagpapaputok ng baby rockets o kuwitis bago nangyari ang sunog,” he said.
He also said there was no one inside the factory because workers are supposed to return this coming Monday.
Uy estimated the damage to their firm at more than P100 million. He said that their machines alone used in producing sando bags for export to the United States cost more than a million pesos each.
The Filipino-Chinese firm had been with the Bataan Economic Zone, recently turned into the AFAB, since 1978. Its 80 workers were on vacation since Holy Tuesday for alleged lack of materials.
Senior Fire Officer 1 Romeo Abergas, Mariveles Bureau of Fire Protection chief, said that when they arrived at 3:30 p.m., the fire was already big and raging. Seven firetrucks from Mariveles, BEZ, Limay and Balanga responded placing the fire under control at 6:30 p.m. or three hours after.
He said the blaze could no longer spread to neighboring factory buildings but the fire continued. “It would take the whole night before they can declare a total fireout because inside the burning factory are flammable items like machines, printing chemicals, raw materials and finished plastic products.”
The fire chief said no one was hurt in the incident. As to the cause of the fire, Abergas said they were still in the process of investigation.
