Fifth-alarm fire guts supermarket in Novaliches

A fire broke out early Wednesday, 28 January, at a supermarket in Fairview, Barangay Pasong Putik, Novaliches, Quezon City, reaching the fifth alarm before being brought under control.

The Bureau of Fire Protection said the fire was initially declared under first alarm at around 4:40 a.m. and was raised to a higher alarm level at about 5:16 a.m. due to the intensity of the blaze.

Tricia Kaye, an office worker near the establishment, said they were caught off guard by the incident and were alarmed because the fire was close to a gasoline station.

“Around 5 A.M, nagulat nalang kami mag nag report sa HR Manager na may sunog... Tapos pagpunta namin sa Sky Garden, Nakita namin malaki na Yung apoy. Then ‘yung fire truck nung time na Yun Isa pa lang,” Tricia said.

“Hanggang sa medyo mahangin, while waiting sa respondents, lumaki pa Yung sunog then umabot na Siya dun sa bandang likod na warehouse. Binabantayan namin Kasi since katabi niya gasolinahan,” she added.

The BFP said around 30 fire trucks responded to the incident. Firefighters were forced to use breathing apparatus due to thick smoke caused by the heavy blaze.

Glass panels of the mall shattered, and portions of the wall collapsed, damaging three vehicles parked nearby.

The fire also caused heavy traffic along Belfast Street and Quirino Highway, prompting traffic enforcers to manage congestion and divert motorists away from the area.

“Yung galing ng Novaliches ay medyo mahaba na rin, saka ‘yung galing naman ng Bulacan papunta roon...[d]oon sa SM Fairview ay medyo may kabigatan na,” Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety Traffic Operations Division Chief Dexter Cardenas said in a radio interview Wednesday morning.

“Nagdagdag na tayo ng mga enforcer ngayon doon dahil nga sa nagaganap na sunog doon sa may malaking establisimyento doon sa may kanto ng Quirino,” he added.

Authorities declared the fire under control at around 7:59 a.m., while the Quezon City Fire District declared it out at about 10:48 a.m.

Fire officials said the blaze spread quickly inside the supermarket. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, although initial findings indicate it originated from the middle section of the establishment.

No nearby residential houses were reported affected, as the fire was contained within the supermarket compound.