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Trash fire hits IPI construction site
Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel put out the trash fire that hit the construction site of Imperial Pacific Resort in Garapan yesterday. (Contributed Photo)
A trash fire hit the construction site of the multi-million dollar Imperial Pacific Resort yesterday, halting all activities in the area for a few hours. No one was reportedly injured or had to undergo treatment due to the trash fire that might have started a little after 3pm.
Imperial Pacific International (CNM) LLC has yet to issue a statement of the incident as of press time.
In a photo posted by Rep. Edwin K. Propst (Ind-Saipan) on his Facebook account, the area where the fire started is full of debris that may be a violation of Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations.
Propst suggested in his post for the debris to be sent off-island. “As if our limited infrastructure and ecosystem can handle this development. Proper planning is needed here and we are not seeing it. All we are hearing are excuses.”
Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services public information officer Derek Gersonde said they received a call at 3:16pm reporting the trash fire. Garapan Fire Station’s Engine-2 and Medic-2 immediately responded to the scene.
Engine-2 firefighters then asked for backup at 3:20pm and requested the Aircraft Rescue Firefighters for assistance.
Rescue-1 from the Susupe Fire Station responded at 3:22pm and arrived on the scene after six minutes. Another ARFF tanker arrived at 3:58pm for additional help.
DFEMS then notified the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. at 4:40pm to turn on the nearest fire hydrants for the use of the fire engines that responded to the scene. CUC redirected the water to the Garapan Fire Station where ARFF water tankers were refilled.
The fire was placed under control at 6:22pm and DFEMS personnel issued an all-clear at 7pm.
Gersonde said that, based on their initial investigation and interviews of the witnesses, the fire started at the western side of the building. The debris from the construction materials piled up near the structure fueled the fire that is still of undetermined cause, pending more investigation.
