By Paulo Loreto Lim

Following the deadly fire that broke out last weekend at the New City Commercial Center (NCCC) in Davao City, which left 38 people dead, Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III called on the local Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ensure local malls are equipped with fire safety precautions.

Aside from commercial establishments, malls in the city are also home to over 40 business process outsourcing (BPO) establishments, or call centers.

Among the deaths resulting from the Davao City fire, reports claim nearly all of the casualties were call center agents employed by Survey Systems International, a company based in California in the United States.

The fire is said to have started on the third floor, which consequently engulfed the fourth floor of the complex, where the call center was located.

The mayor emphasized the need for accessible and well-lit emergency exits that are still noticeable in thick smoke./PLL, WDJ