Roxas City – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Capiz has started to conduct inspection of commercial establishments.

The activity is in compliance with the directive of Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno to conduct random inspections in all commercial establishments nationwide to ensure public safety.

Capiz BFP Fire Safety Section Officer-in-Charge Bonifacio Bajada disclosed that the three big malls in the province, namely, Gaisano City Mall, Carol Square Plaza and Supermart and Gaisano Market Place, including Saint Anthony Hospital were already inspected.

Earlier, they also conducted fire safety inspection in the various boarding houses in Roxas City, Bajada said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, following the Glorietta shopping mall explosion in Makati City, has instructed the DILG Secretary to intensify the inspection of commercial establishments, malls and public buildings, particularly in Metro Manila, as a preventive measure against fire and other incidents.

Among those facilities that are subject of inspection are the sewerage pumps, power generators and other related equipment to ensure that these fully conform with existing fire safety laws and standards.

The random inspection is a regular activity of the BFP and part of the continuous nationwide effort of the DILG and the BFP to conduct simultaneous inspections of all commercial establishments in order to ensure that these structures have adequate and fully functional fire exits, fire alarms, smoke detectors and other fire safety equipment and facilities, DILG Undersecretary for Public Safety Marius Corpus said.

“With the oncoming Christmas season, we shall also focus our efforts on stall owners and vendors that sell firecrackers and other pyrotechnic products to ensure that they comply with the provisions of the Fire Code,” Corpus said.

Meanwhile, BFP Capiz is targeting the remaining commercial establishments and private and public hospitals for fire safety inspection and to step up their campaign relative to pyrotechnic products.