Fire destroys P15-M worth of properties in South Cotabato fire

NORALA, South Cotabato - Arson investigators are digging deeper into the circumstances behind the fire that hit a hardware store here Tuesday.Initial investigation showed the cost of damages reached as high as P15-million due to hardware materials destroyed by the fire. The Norala BFP, headed by Municipal Fire Marshal SFO4 Isidro D Benosa, reported that the conflagration also damaged the Shaina Hardware building located in Barangay Poblacion. The fire started at abut 4 a.m. and placed under control about three hours later.The structure was owned by Jimson Legada of Esperanza Sultan Kudarat.The fire commenced at the hardware business office, Benosa said.It was not clear if the building has complete fire prevention facilities as required by the BFP but recent VFP Norala activities include regular inspection of fire equipment of all commercial buildings in town. We have gathered samples of materials that were burned for laboratory examination by the BFP Manila, he said, adding that neighbors heard a light explosion inside.Benosa said plastic materials made the firefighting difficult since we would like to prevent suffocation of our personnel. This is first time in Norala that a fire destroyed more than P15-M worth of properties, he said.The hardware has no security guard.Fire fighers from nearby Sto Nino town also helped put off the fire.