Fire engulfs Trench Tech Gym

A fire broke out at the Trench Tech Gym in San Antonio Wednesday night that lasted until early yesterday morning. The gym’s owner believes it was intentionally set off.

No one was reported injured in the blaze that also engulfed the adjacent warehouse, which used to be occupied by Kalayaan Catering Co.

Cuki Alvarez, one of the owners of Trench Tech, told Saipan Tribune that the estimated loss in terms of equipment alone is between $35,000 to $40,000.

“It’s a total loss, complete loss,” Alvarez said.

He has a strong feeling that it is an arson case, considering the fact that the gym is in “a very sound building.”

He said his nephew who works at the Department of Public Safety called him on Wednesday at 11:05pm to tell him that a fire had broken out at the gym.

Alvarez arrived at the gym at 11:10pm and saw that the fire was already out of control, with flames and smoke coming from the top of the building.

He said he learned that the fire started in the gym’s storage area.

Alvarez said the gym would usually open 5:30pm and close at 8:30pm everyday.

He said two of his mixed martial arts fighters were the last to leave the gym at 9pm on Wednesday.

Trench Tech Guam has been occupying the one-story building for over four years now. Vicente “Ben” Babauta owns the building as well as the adjacent one-story building formerly occupied by Kalayaan Catering.

Alvarez said his gym is not insured.

When asked about his plans, Alvarez replied: “Rebuild. Stay positive. Rise from the ashes!”

Police officer Jason Tarkong said that investigators are still looking into the cause of the fire. Tarkong said he has been training and teaching at the gym for almost four years now. “This is my second home.”

On the night of Jan. 14, a fire of unknown cause razed an abandoned building adjacent to the former Kalayaan Catering.

Last Jan. 12, an abandoned barracks located across Hopwood Junior High in Chalan Piao also went up in flames. The fire was believed to be an arson case.

Four other fires occurred that weekend-two houses and a classroom in Chalan Kanoa, and a tin house in Sugar Dock.

Last Nov. 17, three fires broke out in close vicinity of each other-San Antonio, Chalan Piao, and Chalan Kanoa. Investigators suspected that two of those fires were intentionally set of.