Dasmariñas residents urged to wear masks as chemical odor from Calamba factory fire spreads

DASMARIÑAS CITY, Cavite — Residents in parts of Dasmariñas were urged to wear face masks and limit outdoor exposure after a strong chemical-like odor and smoke from a factory fire in Calamba, Laguna, spread to areas of Cavite on Friday, September 25, 2026.

The fire broke out at Agchem Manufacturing Corp. inside Carmelray Industrial Park 1 in Barangay Canlubang, Calamba City, at around 5 p.m., according to an initial report by ABS-CBN News. The Bureau of Fire Protection raised the incident to the second alarm as firefighters battled the blaze.

Agchem operates a manufacturing plant at 102 Progress Avenue corner Merit Drive inside Carmelray Industrial Park 1. Company records show that its facility formulates and manufactures agricultural chemicals, including herbicides, insecticides and molluscicides.

The Philippine government’s Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority also lists Agchem Manufacturing Corp. as a pesticide manufacturer, formulator and repacker at the same Carmelray Industrial Park address.

As smoke and a strong odor spread from the fire, residents in parts of Laguna and Cavite reported smelling the fumes. Public advisories urged affected residents to wear face masks, remain indoors when possible, close doors and windows, and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities.

Residents also reported the odor in areas farther from the fire, although the extent and composition of the airborne chemicals released by the blaze had not been established in the reports reviewed for this article.

The BFP said it was still too early to determine the cause of the fire while firefighting operations were underway. The situation was later reported to be under control, although authorities continued monitoring the area.

As of the latest available reports, no injuries had been reported in connection with the incident.

Residents experiencing difficulty breathing, persistent coughing, dizziness or severe irritation were advised to move away from areas affected by smoke and seek medical attention if symptoms persisted.

Authorities have yet to release a definitive assessment of the chemicals involved in the fire or their potential health and environmental impact.