Bacolod City, Philippines - A fire broke out in the upper portion of the Emerald Pawnshop on the second floor of the TGR Securities Corp. building yesterday.
The fire reportedly originated from the tunnel of the electrical supply line on the ground floor of the building, formerly known as Plaza Mart, causing PHP50,000 in losses (approx. $1000 US), fire reports said.
The Bureau of Fire and Protection said initial investigation showed the fire was caused by overloading that resulted in a short circuit. The fire had already been contained by several building personnel through fire extinguishers, so they did not apply water. Only thick smoke could be seen and the smell of burned electrical wires spread throughout the place.
A security guard said he was walking around the building when his companion informed him that smoke was coming out from a wall of the Pawnshop. He immediately grabbed a 50 lb fire extinguisher and put the fire out. A hair stylist next door said he spotted the smoke as well, prompting him to also grab a fire extinguisher, which he used to help the guard put the fire out. |
