Fire hits part of Comelec building in Intramuros

MANILA, Philippines – A fire hit the seventh floor of the building housing the headquarters of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Sunday evening, July 31.

The fire broke out at the reception area of the Comelec’s Information Technology Department (ITD) at the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila, at around 6:48 pm.

Comelec spokesman Rex Laudiangco said ITD personnel “immediately alerted the Comelec Organic Security Force on duty,” who then reported the blaze to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Intramuros Station.

ITD personnel were able to exit quickly as security guards used fire extinguishers and the emergency fire sprinkler system kicked in, added Laudiangco.

The BFP deployed firefighters and raised the first alarm at 6:53 pm, followed by the second alarm at 7:02 pm. The fire was then brought under control at 8:05 pm and put out at 8:16 pm.

All staff are safe and accounted for.

‘Limited damage’

Laudiangco said the Comelec’s initial assessment showed “limited damage to property and equipment,” as the fire only affected the ITD’s reception area.

“All Comelec servers and vaults, located at the ITD, including all equipment and documents in all offices and departments at the Main Office, are safe, intact, undamaged, and secure,” the poll body’s spokesman said.

Laudiangco added that election results and data as well as voters’ registration data are “safe, secure, intact, and unaffected.” These data also have backups, he said.

The BFP will be conducting an arson investigation.

“We shall be fully cooperating with the BFP and the Palacio del Gobernador building administration to determine the cause of the fire, and ensure further safety of all Comelec offices,” Laudiangco said.

Amid the probe, all Comelec offices and departments at Palacio del Gobernador will implement work-from-home arrangements on Monday, August 1. – with reports from Dwight de Leon/Rappler.com