CAVITE FIRE UPDATE: ‘No whitewash in HTI fire tragedy’ – Gov. Remulla

Remulla made the assurance as he led more than 30 media representatives to the inspection and coverage of the rubble left by the conflagration amid subsiding smoke from the dissipated fire
(Pictured) (Photo: hans.emtenas/ Flickr)

GENERAL TRIAS CITY—Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin Remulla vowed on Saturday there will be no whitewash in the investigation of the fire tragedy that struck the House Technology Industries (HTI) facilities for three days at the Cavite Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA) in Bacao 2 site here.

Remulla made the assurance as he led more than 30 media representatives to the inspection and coverage of the rubble left by the conflagration amid subsiding smoke from the dissipated fire.

EPZA officials gave the nod for the local government officials and media as police vans and mobile patrol escorted the inspection and photo and video coverage within prescribed safe distance from the wreckage and collapse structures.

The media however were only allowed to remain in the vehicles and no one was permitted to disembark but only take shots at vantage points.

The tour group encountered the strong stench from the burnt debris of the HTI building that houses the show room, administration offices and insulation rooms and witnessed several vans and vehicles lined up at the parking areas totally burned from the blaze in the six-hectare manufacturing complex.

Gov. Remulla told media, “one of the fire victims is a woman who is in very serious condition and I hope she will survive today,” he said.

He disclosed there were remaining 38 patients at the Divine Grace Medical Center Hospital and General Trias Hospital but the three burn patients are still fighting for their lives.

He said it will take about two weeks before the mapping out operations of the building complex would be completed due to the massive devastation.

According to the governor, the Bureau of Fire Protection and police personnel and scene of the crime operatives (SOCO) stand ready to conduct their inspection and investigation under secured and safe operational conditions.

“They can penetrate inside the collapsed building although the burnt structures and facilities are so delicate these could collapse,” Remulla described.

He cited the need for more manpower and heavy equipment like cranes and bulldozers for the clearing operations.

As this developed, PEZA officials said the HTI management has assured that they will attend to the worker-victims for their needs, hospitalization and medicines and the burial assistance for at least one fatality.

They also said that the HTI firm has fully accounted the more than 3,000 workers who were on duty from their roster of employees at the plant when the fire struck.

HTI has also assured to assist their workers who have been displaced from the fire disaster to be employed in their affiliate firms as PEZA also facilitates their job referral to other EPZA locators and ecozone firms.