When the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bureau of Research and Standards (BRS) caught fire on October 23, the agency's explanation was as alarming as the incident itself.

In its official statement, the DPWH claimed that the blaze “originated from a computer unit that reportedly exploded.” No injuries were reported, and no documents related to the ongoing flood control probe were affected, the department said.

But let us be clear: computers do not simply explode.

Such a claim insults public intelligence. Fires like this do not happen without cause: they are the result of negligence, poor electrical safety, substandard equipment, or outright failure to follow protocols. For the bureau tasked with upholding technical standards for the nation's infrastructure, this is a deeply troubling lapse.

Worse, the DPWH currently stands under a cloud of corruption allegations involving flood control projects. In that context, any unexplained incident in one of its offices, particularly one that deals with testing and documentation, demands nothing less than full transparency. The agency cannot expect the public to accept a vague and implausible explanation at face value.

Accountability means more than issuing a brief statement and moving on. It means a credible, independent investigation that details how a computer could possibly “explode” inside a standards bureau — and whether this was truly an accident or the result of neglect.

The DPWH cannot afford another blow to its integrity. The public deserves clarity, not convenient excuses. Because while computers may not simply explode, public trust surely can — and once it does, there is no quick repair.