THE Bureau of Fire Protection on Wednesday, October 2, said the fire that hit the Star City amusement park in Pasay City may have been caused by electrical overload or arson.
Pasay City Fire Marshall Superintendent Paul Pili also said firefighters are wondering why different areas of the amusement park seemed to have caught fire almost at the same time.
However, the Star City believed the fire was an accident.
According to Pili, the fire broke out at 12:22 a.m. Wednesday and was believed to have started in the stockroom of plushies and an assortment of prizes.
The blaze reached fire alarm Task Force Bravo status, requiring 19 fire trucks to be dispatched in the area, at around 2:25 a.m. It was brought under control at 4:30 a.m.
The BFP declared “fire out” at 2:02 p.m., nearly 14 hours after the fire erupted.
Pili said that the fire gutted 80 percent of the Star City amusement park, including its Snow World structure and several indoor rides.
Only the outdoor rides remained safe, he added.
Star City spokesperson Rudolph Jularbal said Star City will not open this Christmas season due to the extensive damage from the fire.
“We’re targeting reopening about October next year. It’s necessary because the importation of rides takes time and the set-up of the park also,” he said.
Malacañang, for its part, urged government agencies to extend help to the victims of the fire in any way possible.
“As we near Christmas, this is truly sad news knowing that Star City is a place where Filipino families visit to celebrate the Yuletide season. To our friends in the media who are affected, we wish to let them know that we are one with them in this tragic incident,” said Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a statement.
“We call on government instrumentalities to extend any form of assistance to those hit by the blaze,” he added.
