Shops go up in flames

Caption:   Shop owners and others rush to save their merchandise as the fire spreads

Caption:   Airport fire truck called in spraying water into the burning shops


By MATTHEW VARI

Wednesday, August 28, 2013 (Midweek Chronicle)



FIRE ripped through the Badili Wholesale Centre yesterday morning, laying claim to three of the six shop lots, with the fourth and sixth save from the inferno by fire crews- all operated by Asians, in Port Moresby.

All six shops were housed under a shared roof which made it possible for the fire to move from the shop where the initial blaze started, and moved to the neighbouring shops.

Quick response by security guards manning the gates and the various businesses houses within the centre and the arrival of police units prevented what could have erupted into a serious looting spree by opportunists, who tried to enter the property.

Eyewitness at the scene, Cedric Iki, who was purchasing some items at the shops, said that the fire begun between 7am – 8am- saying it started in the upper floor of the shop.

“There were a lot of explosions I heard, which may have been caused by gas cylinders.”

“Luckily no one was seriously injured in the fire- apart for a G4S guard who sustained an injury to his head as angry opportunists’ hurled rocks over the fence when they were prevented from entering the premises,” he said.

Fire fighters struggled to save the adjoining shops, with the water rationing exercise currently undertaken by Eda Ranu, water pressure was very low.

After being notified, Eda Ranu diverted more water into the area- with the fire still burning for more than two hours, the Airport Rescue and Fire Services was called in to bring the blaze under control.  

According to Superintendent Gima Mulina from the Town Fire Service Station, the shops all had many clothing merchandises stocked on the upper floors that clearly fuelled the fire, besides the fact that they all shared the same roof.

“At this stage we do not know how the fire started, but we will conduct a thorough investigation to determine this.”

When asked why extinguishers the shops had on premises were ineffective, Supt Gima said that fire extinguishers have to be approved by the fire service to be suited to the types of business or home environments that they are placed in- adding that the extinguishers on-site were not clearly approved by the fire service.