DAVAO CITY – President Rodrigo Duterte has asked families to pray for the 37 call center agents of Survey Sampling International (SSI) who are still unaccounted 15 hours after the fire broke out at a Davao City home-grown mall along McArthur Highway, Davao City on Saturday morning.
The call center agents were reported to be trapped inside the building.
Duterte visited the fire site and met with the families of the victims at the designated holding room in Aposento Restaurant along McArthur Highway on late Saturday night.
He was with Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte.
The rescuers called off rescue operations four hours after the fire broke out as it was already dangerous to go inside the mall with the black fumes and fire engulfing the building.
The fire broke out past 9 a.m. Saturday at the third floor of the New City Commercial Center more known to Dabawenyos as NCCC Mall. The SSI Call Center was located at the fourth floor.
The fire incident occured while Davao City is still reeling from the damage brought by the onslaught of typhoon “Vinta.”
Mayor Duterte-Carpio, who earlier visited the site and met with the families of the missing persons at the restaurant’s holding room beside SNR, said the city government would extend assistance to the families.
Duterte-Carpio said the incident is still under investigation.
She has also ordered the cancellation of all remaining Pasko Fiesta activities in deference to the victims.
Archbishop Romulo Valles and some members of the church were at the holding room to help console families and pray for the victims.
In a statement released by Thea Septann Padua, Information Officer of NCCC Mall, the management confirmed that the fire incident started at the third floor of the department store.
The third floor of the NCCC department store includes the electrical appliance section, home furniture, and home plastic wares. It was also on the third floor of the mall where the cellular phone shops, children’s play area, the cinermas, and the bowling center were.
The management assured that it is coordinating with the authorities and still assessing the extent of the damage while firefighters and law enforcement agencies take control of the situation.
As of 11 p.m. Saturday, the portion of McArthur Highway from Sandawa junction was closed to vehicular traffic. (PNA)
