The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has begun investigating the fire incident that occurred at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) office in Quezon City, NBI Director Jaime Santiago confirmed on Thursday, October 23.
“Ngayon po, babalik po ang aming team kasama ang forensic investigators para malaman natin kung ano ba talaga ang sanhi bakit nagkaroon ng ganoon,” Santiago said, referring to the agency’s ongoing forensic examination of the site.
The move came after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla urged the NBI to determine the true cause of the blaze and investigate possible arson, especially as the DPWH is currently under scrutiny for alleged irregularities in its flood control projects.
Initial findings revealed that the fire started on the third floor of the building around 12:39 p.m., reportedly due to an “octopus electrical connection.”
“Ganoon po. Mga unsafe, improper, hazardous use multiple electrical cords and extension wires, doon po nag-umpisa,” Santiago explained.
In a separate statement, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said that based on the initial findings of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the incident was caused by electrical failure and not by a computer explosion, as earlier reports claimed.
“The BFP has given its initial result of its investigation, saying that there was an electrical failure in one of the ceilings on the third floor… so this also corrects the initial information that there was a computer unit that exploded,” Dizon said.
When asked if the NBI was ruling out foul play, Santiago clarified that all possible angles remain under investigation.
“Hanggat hindi talaga na imbestigahan ng masusi, hindi namin niru-rule out lahat ng mga possibilities,” he stated.
Authorities have since sealed off the area as a full-scale investigation continues to determine whether the fire was accidental or deliberate.