SAN ANTONIO, Nueva Ecija – A fire of still unknown origin razed to the ground the municipal hall here, leaving no piece of equipment and documents, shortly after midnight on Saturday.
Chief Insp. Marcelino Veneracion, town police chief, said the fire which started at about 12:30 a.m. started at the second floor of the two-storey building which is made mostly of wood.
Two police officers who were serving as perimeter security of the town hall, Veneracion said, “rushed to the BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection) station and informed (firefighters about) the incident,” as they issued flash alarm to adjacent police stations.
“But the fire spread so fast,” he said.
The fire occurred two days after the ballot boxes used in the recent midterm elections were transferred to the Regional Trial Court in Gapan City, owing to election protests filed by incumbent Mayor Arvin Salonga against the proclamation of Mayor-elect Nonoy Lustre.
The election materials used to be deposited at the treasurer’s office which was also totally destroyed by the conflagration.
Salonga is reportedly out of the country.
Municipal fire marshal Fire Officer 3 Edgardo Torres said the conflagration that reached third alarm was declared fire-out at around 2:25 a.m. He could not state the cost of damage as well as the cause of the fire.
Firefighters from the neighboring towns of Jaen, Cabiao, San Isidro, San Leonardo and the city of Gapan helped the local BFP in trying to stop the fire, he said.
This town is one of the most controversial political units in Nueva Ecija, being included in the election watchlist. Last year, special police forces raided the residence of Salonga and his supporters for gun possession.
But Veneracion said no untoward incident occurred here during the recent elections.
