The Kilusang Mayo Uno Negros demanded yesterday that UniCity Bacolod clears the concrete wall blocking the fire exit pathway of the establishment to ensure the safety of its workers.

Ronald Ian Evidente of KMU said, in reaction to the DAILY STAR report the other days on the move of the Bacolod City Bureau of Fire Protection to put a signage declaring the building as “a fire hazard”, that the safety of employees must be prioritized before profit to avoid what happened to Novo Jeans and Shirt in Butuan City where 17 employees, were trapped on the top floor and burned to death.

The signage was posted by the BFP on the glass wall of the UniCity General Merchandise at Araneta Street, Bacolod City, Wednesday, after city fire marshal Chief Insp. Pamela Rojane Candido said they inspected the building on May 22 and noticed that the pathway to the fire exit is blocked by a concrete wall.

Evidente said the wall is risky not only to workers but also to consumers in case of fire.

Candido had also said that they issued a notice to the UniCity management so it could correct the violation in 15 days, but when they inspected the establishment again Wednesday, it had not been fully corrected yet, prompting the posting of the fire hazard sign.*

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