February 28, 2010. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon and I decided to take a nap. I was in a deep sleep until I heard my sister said that the electricity went out. I didn’t bother standing up until my dad shouted there was fire! I quickly stood up and paced to and fro. I panicked. I picked up my two small dogs and rushed downstairs. Three of our big dogs were still inside. My dad carried the biggest one and we all went downstairs. Two of our dogs were left in the apartment. I really panicked because the thick smoke was already suffocating. It was the most horrible smell ever. I was downstairs waiting for my sister and my dad who came back up to get our two dogs who got left behind. I was suddenly startled because pieces of glass shattered behind me. That was the time I panicked even more! It’s this thing that I see in movies, when a room is too hot, the window glasses break. That really got me scared. My sister came down with one of our dogs. Dad wasn’t able to get the other one. He’s a big brown baby dog. He still hasn’t turned one year old. And he’s really scared of a lot of things. I cried my heart out because after two attempts he still hasn’t been rescued. We were all waiting downstairs as my dad went up again and tried to get him. Finally, he came down holding Elvis, our dog. We were all safe then. My nerves finally calmed down as I watch three fire trucks pump water to the burning unit. We’re in unit 306, the burning one was in 402. It was way above at the other side, but the fire reached fifth alarm hence the strong smoke which filled up the hallways. After two hours of waiting, the fire finally died down. We waited for the GO signal of the authorities before we went back to our apartment. The hallway was a total mess. It was flooded, literally. We went inside and looked at our main fuse box. It was all wet. Water was flowing down from our ceiling. Everything was a total wreck.
After two days of no AC, mosquito bites, and sleepless nights, the electricity is now back! We officially got it this afternoon. As for the owner of the unit which burned down, I don’t have any news about them. I just heard something about them paying the fire investigators to dismiss the investigation of the cause of the fire. Pretty lame, right? If that is true, then it’s really sad. How money can ‘cover up’ anything, how it can put people’s lives at stake.
Now everything’s back to normal. I just hope people would be more responsible. We are careful of our actions, but all of that would go to waste if the people around you are not. Let’s be responsible. Let’s not make this world a place worse than it already is.
Congratulations! You have the best daddy that I NEVER HAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it's obvious that this building is UNSAFE. without the emergency and safety requirements in place and are ACTUALLY WORKING this building should not be occupied.
pumirma ka din b ng waiver? yung elevator nila e wala ding safety features
Which waiver? I haven't heard anything about that. What is it about? Yes. The elevators are also a wreck.
waiver na ndi tayo agot ng gaisano if ever na may incident
Oh, Ma & Pa didn't. I think it's because we own the unit so I don't think we have to sign it. Are you renting a residential unit?
kung ndi pa nag brown out e baka ndi ko pa malalaman na nasusunog na yung building.. e panu kung tulog pa ako at walang kasama sa bahay tapos sa floor ko ang nasusunog… nakakatakot..
first walang fire alarm, walang ilaw fire exit… so panu ako bababa.. wala din hagdan yung fire exit sa unit… baka pwede ayusin na nila ang building nila kasi kung ndi e mapipilitan ako mag report.. kung alam lang nila ang phobia na ginawa sa akin ng sunog na yan… anyway,, ganu ka na katagal sa gaisano
We're from unit 306. Yes, the fire alarm didn't even go off. Good thing we're all okay.
taga gaisano din me.. nagtataka lang ako kung bakit walang alarm.. nasa 8th floor me so late ko na nalaman.. wala akong madaanan na fire exit kasi walang ilaw.. sinubukan ko nung una kaso ndi ko kaya kasi ang kapal ng usok.. kala ko mamatay na ako kasi 2 fire exit e walang daanan.. at walang umaakyat para tumulong… ndi ko alam kung san ang sunog kaya nakakatakot… bakit ganito tong building na toh.. ndi din gumana sprinkler system…
Gaisano Tower has an awful maintenance & administration system. Nobody came to rescue the people from the higher floors? We were asked by one of the janitors to come down. I didn't know that people from the higher floors weren't rescued. I feel bad upon reading that.