BFP Soccsksargen lists 92 fires since January

KORONADAL CITY – Amid the rising heat index brought by the El Niño phenomenon, the Bureau of Fire Protection in the Soccsksargen Region (BFP-12) on Friday urged the public to take safety measures and help prevent fires.

Since January, the BFP Soccsksargen has recorded 92 fire cases in the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani and the cities of Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal, and General Santos.

“As compared to last year, this year’s fire incidents are slightly lower, but this does make firefighters and the public to be complacent,” Fire Sr. Insp. Evelyn Barbaso. BFP-12 Information unit chief, said during a Philippine Information Agency-South Cotabato social media broadcast.

Last year, Barbaso said the BFP-12 recorded 105 fires.

“While March is fire prevention month, we are educating our people that fire deterrence is a day-to-day thing that we should be watchful about,” Barbaso said in the vernacular.

The most common cause of fires in Region 12 was related to electricity and human errors like failure to unplug house appliances before going to work.

“About 56 of the 92 fire incidents occurred in homes and residential houses,” she said, urging homeowners to secure fire extinguishers, so any fire inside the house can be put off before it goes out of control. (PNA)