Suspect in fire still unidentified

Originally posted @ http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/suspect-fire-still-unidentified
by : (Orlando B. Dinoy)

POLICEMEN are trying to identify the man who threw a lighted cigarette butt that caused the fire, which razed 112 stalls in the new public market building of Bansalan, Davao del Sur.
The man was seen throwing a cigarette butt beside Stall Number 24, one of more than 20 stalls selling firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials just outside the public market.
Bashir Gasanara, one of the firecracker vendors, said he even heard a child call the attention of the man for dropping the lighted cigarette butt.
Not one stall owner was able to save any of their commodities because the fire quickly spread amid explosions from hundreds of firecrackers, police said.
The stall owners are blaming Mayor Edwin Reyes for allowing the sale of firecrackers within the public market premises.
Bansalan has a firecracker ban crafted in 2005.
Bansalan police Chief Solomon de Castilla said they are still trying to look into the possibility that the suspect intentionally started the fire.
Municipal fire office Senior Inspector Gil Andres admitted they did not foresee such disaster. The firecracker stalls were set up outside the market since December 21.
Vendors claimed it took the firemen almost 30 minutes before they started putting off the fire. It was learned that the fire truck was used to deliver water to a slaughterhouse just before the fire broke out.
The fire station is just around 200 meters from the market.
People are also blaming the Bansalan Water District because the fire hydrants near the market did not have water for the fire department to use.
Reyes said he has allowed the vendors to set up temporary stalls around the burned market so that they can continue with their trade.
The vendors said they have already lost all their capital in the fire.
A firecracker trader, Abel Macabuat, admitted that the mayor at first refused to allow them to set up stalls in front of the market.
"Nihangyo mi ka mayor. Unya, mao to, ingon siya sa una 'di gyud ko mosugot ana. So karon, pagbigyan ta mo basta bantayan gyud ninyo (We asked the mayor if we could set up stalls there. At first he refused but was later convinced to do so. He told us that he is allowing us to sell there for as long as we keep close watch over our merchandise and customers)," Macabuat said.
It is believed that the local government was prevailed upon not to implement the firecracker ban so as not to antagonize vendors considering the coming elections.