CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—The fireworks display for the opening of a basketball tournament here on Friday turned into mayhem when balls of fire fell on two vehicles loaded with pyrotechnic products, triggering explosions that also burned the rooftop of a government building.

At least 20 people from among more than 1,000 spectators of mostly teenaged boys were hurt in the stampede that followed, according to city administrator Ferdinand Caylao who witnessed the 8:10 p.m. incident.

Only one, a man, remained confined in a hospital for a hand wound, he said. The others suffered minor bruises.

Caylao said the city government's community affairs office bought the fireworks from a supplier in Bulacan.

These were lit on the concrete stage at the parking lot of the Metropolitan Cathedral across the street from the City Hall.

"There was a brownout so I was told that instead of using an electronic trigger, the personnel manually lit those," Caylao said.

As the music played and the sky glowed with fireworks display, several fireballs dropped some 100 feet from the stage where two vehicles—a Mitsubishi L-300 van and an XLT jeepney—were parked, he said.

Since the vehicles were loaded with more pyrotechnic products, these immediately exploded. The roof of the jeepney flew off, landing at the rooftop of the community
affairs building, some 300 meters away, said Caylao.

"There was simultaneous combustion all over," he said.

Bureau of Fire Protection personnel managed to put out the fire in 10 minutes, he said.

Mayor Oscar Rodriguez and several officials who had left after the opening ceremonies of the inter-barangay basketball league had to return to help bring the injured to the V. L. Makabali Hospital and Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital, both in this city.

Rodriguez said he has ordered the BFP and the police to investigate the incident and look into the possible liability of the supplier.

This was the first time that the basketball league, a big event for the city's 33 barangays (villages) as part of efforts to wean the youth from illegal drugs and vices, was marred by such an incident, said Superintendent Benjamin Medina, city police director.