No one was reported hurt in the fire that broke out at a mall in Davao City on Friday evening.

Authorities continued their investigation on Saturday to determine the cause and extent of damage.

According to an employee of Gaisano Grand Cybergate, sparks were seen on the ceiling near the linen department.

“We were inside, we informed maintenance… it took a long time to act because others were closing up… there was already a small fire, it was sparking but it took a long time to get back to it,” a mall employee said.

The Davao City Fire District said thick smoke made it difficult for firefighters to put out the fire.

“They had difficulty penetrating because they could no longer see as only smoke was coming out, then they confirmed that the fire started on the third floor in the department store. We couldn’t just go up because we couldn’t determine the stability of the floor as it could collapse at any time,” the Davao City Fire District Chief said.

Personnel used a fire crane to reach the building’s third level.

Rain poured during the operation. Firefighters entered the mall wearing specialized equipment while police officers were controlling the crowd at the scene.

The transport and traffic management office also deployed more personnel as traffic in the area became heavier.

The fire was extinguished fully around 7 p.m.

Davao City

Davao City is the largest city in the Philippines by land area and a major economic hub of Mindanao. Historically, it was home to indigenous groups like the Bagobo before becoming a significant settlement under Japanese immigrant pioneers in the early 20th century and later a chartered city in 1936. Today, it is famously known as the “Durian Capital” and as the gateway to the country’s highest peak, Mount Apo.

Gaisano Grand Cybergate

Gaisano Grand Cybergate is a modern shopping mall located in Cebu City, Philippines, part of the Gaisano Grand chain. It was established to serve the growing residential and business community in the IT Park area, reflecting the city’s development as a technology and outsourcing hub. The mall provides a convenient retail and leisure destination for local workers and residents.

Davao City Fire District

The Davao City Fire District is a modern administrative division of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in the Philippines, established to manage fire prevention and emergency response services across the city’s barangays. Its history is tied to the nationalization and professionalization of the country’s fire service, evolving from a local volunteer brigade into a centralized, government-run agency to better protect one of the nation’s largest urban areas.