A fire broke out at the compound of a well-known arms manufacturer along Balete Drive in Barangay Fortune, Marikina City, on Tuesday night, Oct. 13, damaging two nearby houses and forcing residents to evacuate amid reports of ammunition exploding at the facility.
According to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the blaze started at around 9 p.m. and reached the second alarm. Nine fire trucks responded to the incident before it was declared fire out at 12:41 a.m. on Wednesday.
No injuries were reported among factory employees, BFP personnel, or fire volunteers. However, two neighboring houses sustained damage, while several residents temporarily evacuated after hearing explosions and seeing bullet casings fly out of the burning facility.
Jhoanna Marie Ibay, assistant vice president for corporate relations of ARMSCOR Global Defense Incorporated, said the exact location where the fire started inside the factory had yet to be determined.
The explosions caused alarm among residents along nearby Champaca 1 Street and barangay officials as the fire spread through the facility.
“Yung mga bala po parang akala mo umuulan. Open pa yung doon eh hindi pa gaano inabot,” said Boyet Combo, whose house was nearly gutted by the intensity of the fire.
Antonio Andrada, whose house sustained partial damage, also described the destruction caused by the blaze.
“Sa may likod ng banyo giba na. Kasi kung hindi nila pinanik yun, talagang yung apoy nandon na eh,” Andrada said.
Mario Fabilonia of the Barangay Fortune Public Safety Office said residents of a nearby residential compound immediately evacuated because of the danger posed by the fire and flying ammunition.
“Humahagis yung mga slug ng bala dito sa kabilang bakod. Kaya naglikasan yung mga tao papunta rito para makaiwas,” Fabilonia said.
Barangay personnel also recovered several bullet casings outside the burned building.
“Ito po yung bumagsak na bala galing dun sa ARMSCOR, basyo na ito ng bala. Marami pa po ito nakakalat diyan sa labas,” said barangay desk officer Emyluz Mendoza.
Ibay said the incident remained under investigation, adding that authorities could not yet assess the situation fully because the area was dark following the nighttime fire.
“It will still be part of the investigation, at hindi pa rin namin ma-assess dahil madilim din yung area, gabi rin nangyari,” Ibay also said.
Meanwhile, the Marikina City government has begun assisting three families affected by the fire.
In a social media post, Mayor Maan Teodoro assured the affected families that the city government would provide assistance through its City Social Welfare and Development Office.
“Kasama natin ang City Social Welfare and Development Office para agad ma-assess at maibigay ang necessary assistance sa mga pamilyang apektado. Kasama po ninyo ako,” Teodoro said.
The BFP is continuing its investigation to determine the cause of the fire, the extent of the damage, and the total value of the properties destroyed.