WHEN BUILDINGS BECOME CHIMNEYS

There is now a YouTube interview of an actual tenant who lived in the condo building affected by the recent fire last week.

Search “Trapped sila sa NASUSUNOG na CONDO” on YouTube.

I watched the video and read some related accounts. To be clear, many details are still alleged. But even before blame is assigned, there are lessons here for everyone.

Based on reports, the incident likely started near the garbage chute area. Some suspect a discarded lithium-ion battery.

If it was a battery, do residents know how to dispose of these properly?

Almost every home now has rechargeable devices: phones, laptops, power banks, vapes, toys, etc. When these bloat, overheat, or fail, some people may simply throw them into ordinary trash.

That is dangerous.

PMOs should have a clear system for collecting old power banks, bloated batteries, and small e-waste. Not just a memo, but a real process that residents, tenants, and household help can understand.

CCTV coverage in garbage chute or disposal areas may also be worth studying. CCTV is not only for theft. It can help determine what was thrown, who accessed the area, and what happened before an incident.

Years ago, in the Makati condo “chop-chop” case, CCTV helped identify who disposed of the body parts. That is an extreme example, but it shows how important cameras can be in common areas that people rarely monitor.

But the bigger issue here seems to be smoke.

According to the interviewee, he did not wake up because of a fire alarm. He woke up because he smelled smoke. He said there was smoke everywhere, including the fire exit.

In high-rise emergencies, smoke can be the bigger killer.

To PMOs: please also review your smoke-control systems, alarms, garbage chute protocols, CCTV coverage, and battery or e-waste disposal process.

To tenants and residents: properly dispose of power banks and rechargeable devices. Educate everyone in your household, including household help.

You may also want to study emergency items such as fire escape respirator masks. Some are inexpensive online, but please check the quality and certifications.

Shucks, am I overreacting? 😅