MANILA – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) assured on Wednesday that no documents related to flood control projects were stored in the Bureau of Research and Standards (BRS) building in Quezon City, which caught fire in the afternoon.

The BRS serves as the agency’s research and policy arm responsible for conducting studies, pilot testing, and formulating standards for government infrastructure projects.

In a statement, the DPWH said “initial findings indicate that the fire originated from a computer unit inside the Materials Testing Division that reportedly exploded.” The department added that no employees were harmed during the incident.

“An investigation team to assess the fire incident has been deployed and is currently conducting a thorough assessment to determine the full extent of the damage and to prevent similar incidents in the future,” the DPWH said, adding that updates will be released once more information becomes available.

According to the Bureau of Fire Protection–National Capital Region (BFP-NCR), the fire at the DPWH office on NIA Road in Barangay Pinyahan was reported at 12:39 p.m. and reached the third alarm. Firefighters declared it under control at 1:34 p.m. and fully extinguished it at 1:49 p.m.

Data backed up

During the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights hearing, DPWH Assistant Secretary Melody Villar said most records affected by the fire are backed up in the agency’s central database, highlighting the importance of digitalization in preserving critical data.

“It is the regional office of DPWH-4B. Dito po ang site ng testing materials ng DPWH na mga supplies like semento, bakal. We are looking into it already pero ito po yung testing site,” Villar said, referring to the facility that also serves as the testing site for construction materials such as cement and steel.

She confirmed that while some physical records were kept in the facility, most had already been uploaded to the DPWH central office system.

The Senate hearing, held on the same day, tackled Senate Bill No. 1215, which seeks to establish an Independent People’s Commission (IPC) to investigate anomalies in infrastructure projects, including those linked to the ongoing flood control controversy. (PNA)