Monday. The fire left 24 people homeless.
Acting fire crew supervisor Dan Suel said investigation showed several indications that electrical overloading and electrical faulty wiring caused the fire.
“We found faulty wiring and connections, and we found a lot of wirings that are not done by professionals, but by individuals who are not aware of the electrical code and building code,” Suel said during yesterday’s press conference.
Suel also said the building has violated fire codes and building codes.
Further investigation showed that the barracks had three partitions with five rooms in each partition.
“The fire started in the back area of the middle section of the barracks,” Suel said. He added that about 24 people, including some children, were staying in the barracks sharing rooms.
Investigation also showed that the fire broke out when the power went back on, Suel said.
Acting Deputy Fire Director Capt. Tom Manglona said no one was hurt in the fire and every occupant in the building was accounted for.
“This is a very successful ground fire operation with quick response time, given the situation that we had, we were able to contain the fire in two hours,” Manglona said.
He said the building was sub-leased to other individuals.
“There are a lot of concerns that need to be addressed with these structures because they could be dangerous,” Manglona said.
He added they were able to save the first floor of the building as well as the surrounding establishments.
Department of Public Safety Commissioner Clyde K. Norita said firefighters had to rely on tankers — one of the biggest problems on island is lack of water.
“The hydrants are under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp., not the fire department,” Norita said.
The CNMI has about 68 fire division personnel, he added, but more people are needed to help maintain equipment and conduct operations.
There were 22 firefighters, including those from the airport, who responded to the scene.
