There's a Big Fire Near Us

"Ang laki ng sunog sa P. Noval. Baka may mga estudyante tayo doon," Ma'am AA exclaimed as she entered the Tan Yan Kee building. Riding the elevator with her, I asked, "Malapit lang po Ma'am?" She responded with a dint of inaccuracy, "Mukhang. Ang laki ng smoke e."

She dislodged from the elevator upon reaching the 2nd floor. I continued my way towards the 4th, and handed over the camcorder to Karen who was doing her thesis with her groupmates.

I went out of the building and decided to buy milk tea before I went home. From a distance, a heap of black smoke caught the attention of everyone - its blackness bracing the enthusiasm even of those who did not intend to glance at the sky. While sipping my milk tea, sounds of loud explosions resonated. "It must have come from the fire," I thought. True enough, Ma'am AA's assumption regarding its proximity to our school seemed probable.

Not until I saw the fire's exact location: not in P. Noval, neither in España. It was in Recto, Sta. Cruz - about 6 blocks away from our school's location - if my approximation served me right.

Upon approaching the big heap of smoke which had gone bigger as I went nearer (which apparently had pyres thrown into the sky) thoughts domineered my mind:

• When something "big" (may it be a news, phenomenon, fact or any piece of information) is in the offing, however distant you are from it, you will still feel affected. It will appear as big as it can be;
• Fires as big as this start from a small spark. And so you better be careful, because something done with a blot of negligence and ignorance can cause damage beyond one's imagination;
• With the Christmas day counting the last days before its coming, how do the families feel? I feel not only sadness, but frustration and loss, for them.

I came home and shared the news to Mama. "Ang laki ng sunog sa Recto," I uttered. "Ah, siguro yun yung nakita ko kanina sa rooftop!?" Mama answered. Our home was in Pasay, the fire was in Sta. Cruz. A couple of minutes later, Gretchen Malalad appeared on the TV, reporting about the fire. "... na nagsimula mula sa isang rice cooker," Malalad reported. "...Pero ang mahalaga, magkakasama pa rin kami at ligtas," one of the fire victims cried out upon being asked what he felt.

The fire appeared very visible even from a remarkable distance, and had come from a wrong use of electrically-operated appliance. But at the very least, the victims had felt gratitude for being saved from the tragedy - and being together still in the upcoming Christmas Day.