BUREAU of Fire Protection (BFP) chief Director Louie Puracan has discouraged the practice of “chaining” residential windows to avoid being trapped in cases of emergency.

Puracan’s reminder came in the wake of 10 members of a family in Muntinlupa City who perished in an early morning fire Sunday.

City Fire Marshal Supt. Eugene Briones said the victims died of “asphyxia by suffocation.”

Asphyxia is a condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness, suffocation and even death.

The BFP identified the victims as Claire Ladia, 65; Virgilio Ladia, 68; Mark Gil Ladia, 39; Cherry Ladia, 19; Jerome Ladia, 19; Leandro Jose Ladia, 15; Emmanuel Ladia, 12; Cherise Angela Ladia, five months old; Ana Ladia, 33 and Amatheus Ladia, 16.

Only Virginia, 86 survived the 9 a.m. fire that gutted their house on Larva Street, Bruger Subdivision.

According to Briones, investigation said there were signs of the Larva family trying to get out but failed.

“Ang ikinamatay talaga nila ay asphyxia by suffocation. Nag-attempt sila, makikita natin ang isang pamilya sa second floor, may mga sugat-sugat pa siya sa katawan,’’ Briones was quoted as saying.

Fire investigators he added, noticed that the window grills were fixed and the victims could not pass through the main door where the fire reportedly originated.

Puracan said “chaining” the windows is strictly not allowed even as he called on house owners to regularly check their fire exits if these are still accessible during emergencies.

“Ang nangyayari kasi dyan ay pagkatapos mabigyan ng occupancy permit at fire safety inspection certificate (FSIC), ay kung anu-anong renovations na at kanya kanya nang pagawa ng mga extensions at mga additional features,” the Fire Chief told the Journal Group on the phone.

Prior to the issuance of FSIC and occupancy permits, residential buildings according to Puracan, are compliant with the required provisions of the building code.

But unlike in the commercial establishments where a quarterly inspection is required, Puracan said that residential units could no longer be reached by building inspectors.

When asked by this writer why, the Fire commander said; “kulang tayo sa tao. . . kung yung sa commercial establishments ay minsan hindi makayanan ang quarterly inspections, how much more kung isasama pa natin ang residential.”

He said that the BFP continues with intervention programs such as educating the general public on fire safety awareness through the “Oplan Ligtas Pamayanan” where fire personnel go down to barangays for fire safety and emergency lectures.

“Hindi tayo tumitigil sa pagpapa-alala sa ating mga kababayan na mag-iingat palagi at sundin yung mga nararapat at wag gawin ang bawal,” he said.