A Grade 6 teacher's quick thinking and composure prevented a fire from spreading on the first day of classes at Sudtonggan Elementary School in Lapu-Lapu City on Monday, June 8, 2026.
Nicolai David Kong, 36, the school's assistant disaster risk reduction coordinator, suppressed an electrical fire in a Grade 3 classroom before Bureau of Fire Protection personnel arrived. The fire originated from a malfunctioning ceiling fan in the classroom of adviser Maria Leonizo, who successfully evacuated students after noticing sparks before Kong intervened with a fire extinguisher.
According to Leonizo, she turned on the ceiling fan but switched it off after it malfunctioned. Moments later, a student noticed sparks coming from the fan, prompting her to immediately evacuate the class. Hearing Leonizo's call for help, Kong rushed out and saw another teacher attempting to extinguish the fire with a bucket of water — a move that could have caused electrocution or worsened the blaze.
"By instinct, knowing that I have a little knowledge on how to put out a fire, I went out, ran and saw a teacher carrying a bucket of water, which is strictly not allowed because the fire was electrical," Kong said.
Using his three years of experience as the school's safety coordinator, Kong retrieved a fire extinguisher. As the flames intensified, personnel from the neighboring high school department joined the effort to put out the blaze. "Though it wasn't just me because our fire extinguishers in this part of the school were insufficient, I am very thankful to the high school department for bringing theirs and helping us extinguish the fire," he said, adding that teamwork played a crucial role in preventing the fire from spreading.
When asked how he remained calm during the incident, Kong credited his training. "Be calm, that is our training. With the many trainings I have participated in, we really need to stay calm, and by doing that, you can think clearly," he said.
Following the incident, school authorities ensured the safety of students and minimized disruption to classes. A licensed electrician inspected the affected classroom immediately after the fire was extinguished and repairs were completed promptly, allowing students to return to class the following day.
