The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has assured that the fire which broke out at its Bureau of Research and Standards (BRS) building in Quezon City will not affect the ongoing investigation into the alleged flood control irregularities.
The blaze, which reached third alarm before being declared out at 1:34 p.m., raised public speculation that documents linked to the corruption probe may have been destroyed.
However, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon clarified that all documents related to the investigation are safely stored at the department’s Central Office, emphasizing that the incident “will not affect the ongoing probe.”
Meanwhile, DPWH Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Lara Esquibil explained that the BRS primarily conducts research and pilot studies for new construction materials, and outlined the types of documents affected by the fire.
Among the files lost or damaged were calibration and testing reports, materials source reports, procurement and inventory records, training-related documents, and pilot research project files dating back to 2015.
Other affected records included Quality Management System compliance files, correspondence, training materials, and personnel files.
Despite the losses, Esquibil said that all essential records were scanned and fully backed up, ensuring the continuity of operations and the integrity of key data.
The Bureau of Fire Protection–National Capital Region (BFP-NCR) reported that the fire was first called in at 12:39 p.m., reached the third alarm at 12:56 p.m., and was declared fire out by 1:34 p.m. At least 25 fire trucks responded to the incident.
