The Baguio Fire Department reported that fire incidents in the city increased by approximately twenty five percent or from 40 cases during the first eleven months of 2021 to some 50 incidents during the same period in 2022.
Based on a report, the city fire station disclosed that structural fires composed most of the fire incidents that transpired in the city during these periods with 31 and 35 incidents, respectively.
From January to November 2022, there were 7 recorded vehicular fires in the city compared to the 2 incidents reported during the same period in the previous year.
However, from January to November 2021, there were 4 recorded grass fires in the city compared to the only 3 incidents documented by the Baguio fire station from January to November 2022.
Forest fires and electrical post fires in the city also increased to 2 cases each from January to November 2022 compared to the 1 incident each recorded the previous year.
Ravish fires in the city remained stagnant at 1 incident each during the said reckoning periods.
Despite the increase in fire incidents in the different parts of the city, local firefighters reported that the damages inflicted by the fires decreased from P4.9 million from January to November 2021 to only P3.8 million during the same period in 2022.
Among the identified cases of fire incidents in the non-structural fires include open flame and unattended flame while the causes of fire in structural fire incidents were electrical short circuit and unattended cooking.
Local firefighters advised households to double check their gas tanks to ensure these had been properly closed before leaving their houses to prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents that may compromise their safety.