Two police officers died while two others were hurt in a fire that broke out inside the headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame, Quezon City early Friday.
Citing a report submitted to PNP chief, Gen. Debold Sinas, national police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana said the fire razed the compound of the Transportation Maintenance Division (TMD) facility of the Logistics Support Service (LSS) at around 2 a.m.
Usana said Lt. Col. Daniel Vinluan, TMD deputy chief, heard a bursting sound and saw fire at the back of an armored vehicle parked in the vehicle shed.
He then alerted the duty officer to call the Camp Crame Base Fire Station while other LSS personnel on duty immediately responded using fire extinguishers while waiting for the firemen to arrive.
Four victims, identified as Lt. Victorio Esyulde and S/Sgt. Nichol Jamosmos from the Special Action Force (SAF), M/Sgt. Ormilon Amado from the Headquarters Support Service (HSS), and S/Sgt. Jesus Apil from the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM), were brought immediately to PNP General Hospital for treatment.
Amado and Jamosmos were declared dead due to electrocution while Esyulde and Apil suffered injuries.
A fire out was declared at 3:06 a.m. by Base Fire officials while the LSS is conducting a damage assessment of the incident.
Sinas has ordered an investigation into the incident that partially damaged the TMD facility of the LSS.
He ordered HSS director, Brig. Gen. Arthur Bisnar, to conduct more rigid periodic fire safety inspection of PNP facilities and buildings in Camp Crame, especially old structures made of light and combustible materials that may be considered fire hazards.