18 July 2011
MEMO TO: THE ATENEO COMMUNITY
RE: FIRE IN THE (NEW) COLLEGE BUILDING [NCB]
I would like to inform our community of the fire incident that occurred in the Home Economics room of the NCB at around 1.45 AM on 17 July. Three alumni of the Christian Life Community (CLC) identified as Mr Marvin de Jesus, Mr Ike Ianne Cadavedo and Mr Conller Medallo first saw the incident. They then reported it to our Security Guards. SG Crispin Penetrante called the assistance of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). In the meantime, the CLC alumni assisted SG Supervisor Edwin Angeles and SG Ritchielieu Berguia in putting out the fire using fire extinguishers. By the time the BFP members arrived with three fire trucks on campus, the fire was nearly contained.
The swift alert of our CLC alumni, the quick response and courageous action of our Security Guards with the assistance of the same CLC alumni, and the rapid intervention of the BFP people extinguished the fire by 2.00 AM.
I would like to thank so much and commend the heroic actions of the parties mentioned. Had we not acted swiftly and courageously, within minutes the whole NCB and nearby buildings could have been gutted by fire. I am told that this is the first fire incident that hit the Ateneo in many years gone by.
The investigation is still ongoing. Partial findings seem to attribute the fire to a short circuit in one of the sockets. I am convening a group to assess our wiring condition of all our buildings as soon as possible and address this concern.
We continue to entrust the protection of the Ateneo to our Lord and Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, our university patroness.
Antonio F Moreno SJ
Memo: 11-12:09
