On Thu, Apr 21, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) building in Port Area, Manila participated in the First Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill.
Aside from practicing the duck, cover, and hold routine, the DPWH had prepared scenarios that had employees trapped in the building during the earthquake and other possible earthquake complications.
“As part of the drill, a fire had been deliberately set in a flower pot at the human resource management division office, which is on the mezzanine of the building,” reports Evelyn Macairan in The Philippine Star.
However, things got scary when the employees failed to put out the fire with the first extinguisher they used. They later found that its contents had expired.
The report noted: “The DPWH employees grabbed another fire extinguisher to put out the fire. The employees were alarmed when moments later, the fire rekindled. Rescue and security personnel scrambled to put it out again.”
Building inspectors had to check the safety of the structure before allowing employees to return to their offices.
