Ongoing renovations works at the Grand Boulevard Hotel along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City almost went south after welding sparks from a welding rod of one of the workers ignited a fire that reached Alarm No. 1.

Sparks from the welding rod accordingly landed into highly-combustible Styrofoam nearby and had not the commendable instantaneous response of firefighters, that small spark could have razed the whole hotel down.

Further investigations of responding firemen revealed the construction workers to have no “Hot Construction Permit” for welding and cuttings inside the decadent edifice. (BENJAMIN CUARESMA/IAMIGO/CNS)