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Chow Queen Bakery re-opens, explains fire accident
The management of Chow Queen Bakery in Susupe re-opened yesterday and explained that a gas supplier’s technician caused the fire at the bakery.
Alexander Tangcoy told Saipan Tribune that the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services gave Chow Queen Bakery the go signal to re-open for business after they explained what happened and paid $400 to process their fire certificate.
Tangcoy said Department of Fire personnel will again inspect the bakery.
He said he was informed that the Department of Fire will investigate the gas supplier’s technician over the fire incident.
Tangcoy said he checked Friday the regulator valve of their gas tank located outside the bakery’s building and found a leak. He said the gas supplier’s technician came and tried to fix it but failed.
At 4:30pm that same day, the technician returned, removed the tank’s regulator and used a modified hose instead. Tangcoy said he asked the technician if that was safe, and was assured that there’s no problem with it.
Tangcoy said the following day, as their worker was cooking, the hose expanded and exploded because of the pressure, starting the fire. He said the worker suffered minor burns on the hands and face. They immediately brought him to the hospital.
Tangcoy admitted that they did not report the injury to authorities immediately because they were confused at that time and concerned for their worker’s safety.
He said fire investigators then inspected the bakery’s kitchen so he explained to them what happened because the investigators’ initial finding was that it was arson.
Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services spokesman Derek Gersonde on Tuesday said an order was issued stopping the operation of the bakery due to a fire that injured an employee.
Gersonde said the bakery was inspected and it was concluded that its baking activities were unsafe.
Gersonde said the employee’s injury and its cause were not immediately reported to authorities.
