Before repairs are done: DPWH checking PGH building samples after fire

MANILA – Engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will evaluate on Saturday the samples extracted from building structures affected by the recent fire at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila.

In a statement, Secretary Mark Villar said the personnel specializing in structural analysis and material testing will be evaluating the samples from concrete coring and rebars at the laboratory of his department’s Bureau of Research and Standards.

“No one can tell the level of damage until a proper and thorough assessment and laboratory evaluation of material sample components have been done,” he added.

Villar said their workers have substantially completed the clearing operations at PGH operating room supply area at the third-floor service wing razed by a dawn fire on May 16.

Undersecretary Emil Sadain, head of DPWH Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of Local/National Health Facility, said samples through concrete coring were successfully taken in eight locations to determine the integrity of the fire-affected building area and implement corrective actions to ensure it is safe for continued use.

He added that successfully extracted on the fire scene were concrete coring samples in three columns, three beams, one slab, and an unaffected column for comparison while rebars on the structural membrane were also taken with one each from slab and beam.

On May 19, upon clearance by the Bureau of Fire Protection and PGH management, the DPWH team led by Regional Director Eric Ayapana of National Capital Region and District Engineer Mikunug Macud of South Manila Engineering District (SMED) started clearing operations.

Bureau of Construction (BOC) Director Aristarco Doroy headed the pool of technical engineers that evaluated the structural components.

The DPWH Technical personnel from BRS, Bureaus of Construction, Design, and Quality and Safety started on May 20 the damage assessment to verify if the load-carrying capabilities of structural elements are sound and have not been significantly compromised by the fire.

It also said the assessment report is expected to come out next week with corrective actions for the necessary repairs and restoration work required for the affected portion to be safe and fully functional again. (PNA)

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