EATEN BY FIRE

 

The silence of the night of September 23, 2016 around 10:00PM was broken by a heavy rain. Around 10:30PM I fell asleep on my bed. At 4:50AM, I woke up and checked my phone if there were messages. In deed there were 3 messages I receive from my officemates. The messages were sent around 11:48PM, 12:01AM, and 12:46AM, containing the same message, “NASUNOG ANG OFFICE!”

Many things came into my mind after reading the messages: Was it true or just a plain joke, but I knew the senders can't make jokes like that; what possible reasons that causes the fire; how big was the fire; what part of the building were eaten by fire; and my friend’s DSLR Camera which I placed inside our steel cabinet in the office…

Early in the morning I went to our office. Around 7:45AM I arrived in the office. I could still smell the burned materials. There were few co-employees who were there already. I saw some personnel from Beauro of Fire Davao conducting investigation. The office was in yellow line and some areas of it are restricted until the investigation ends. 

 Our new building eaten by fire

 Our roof used to be in green color, but not it turned into red/orange

 Our office's facade

No official statement of possible causes were release until the investigation ends. 

Based on what I have seen, (not the official estimates) the fire ate 60% or almost 60% of our office. Around 40% of it, including our section was really burned down and turned into ashes. All our documents, soft copies and hard copies, supplies, and IT and Office equipment were gone.

 OUTSIDE...

 

INSIDE:

 Our office. I can't get nearer to get a better photo because it's restricted for safety purposes.

Certain parts of the office were not really burned. An employee trying to salvage their things.

 Going to the Family Health Unit, Engineering (HFEP) Section, Records, Personnel, and Cashier...

 The office of the Regional Director...

  

 Back of this office was our unit... burned down to ashes.

The Accounting and Budget Section and the MSD Chief's Office..

  Base on this scene, I know my friend's camera, even if it was inside the steel cabinet, was gone together with our desktop computers, laptops, LCD Projector. Maybe, if not burned, melted because of the tremendous amount of heat.

 Going to COA, MSD Chief's Office, HEMS, RESU, BAC Store Room, and Procurement Section...

OUTSIDE AGAIN. . . 

Top View...

 A fire started to grow inside at 9:35AM but it was controllable.

(Photo above courtesy of Ms. Malou Balino) Procurement Office... I will miss you. . .

 The Regional Director with COA had an emergency meeting under a tent.

DOH RO XI, STAND STRONG and HEART STRONG! God will Help to those who never gives up for His people. We can do this and still be of good service to our fellow men.

~THANK YOU~