MARIVELES, Bataan — Fire broke out Friday night at a building occupied by a
factory producing bags at the Freeport Area of Bataan here, the Authority of the
Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) announced Saturday.
Hazel Keith Elloren, AFAB information officer, said their Fire and Emergency
Division (FED) reported that the blaze started at 8:04 in the evening on the third
floor of the Standard Factory Building No. 3 occupied by DLX Bags Philippines, Inc.
She said that per AFAB–FED report, a conveyor oven left open caused the fire that
began in the production area. The amount of damage is still being assessed.
Firefighting units from AFAB and the Bureau of Fire Protection in Mariveles,
Limay, government Arsenal, and Balanga City immediately responded and put out
the fire at 10:08 in the same evening.
Elloren said that according to the company, 1,900 workers are reporting in the
burnt building. No injury or casualty was recorded, she added.
AFAB administrator Emmanuel Pineda went to the area to monitor the incident.
“AFAB will continue its investigation to identify the exact cause of the fire. We
shall maintain close communication and coordination with the management of
the affected company in order to assess the damage caused by the fire and
determine next steps to ensure the safety of the workers,” Pineda said.
Members of the Mariveles municipal police station rushed to the fire scene. “Our
personnel were deployed in the place for possible rescue, security assistance and
preventing possible looters,” said Lt. Col. Emelito Dela Cruz, Mariveles police
chief.
