UP body to probe fireworks mishap

MANILA, Philippines–The University of the Philippines has formed a special body to probe the fireworks mishap which injured 17 bystanders at the annual Lantern
Parade last week.

In a statement issued Monday, the U.P. administration extended its apologies and expressed its sadness over the incident which left some onlookers of the fireworks display injured.

“A multi-sectoral task-force has been formed to find out the causes of the incident to prevent recurrence of similar incidents in the future and determine how to continue sustained assistance to the injured,” the university said.

On Friday, the yearly parade of lanterns and floats was marred by faulty fireworks which flew into the crowd instead of the sky during the pyrotechnics show.

The mishap happened near Quezon Hall, the administration building where the competing floats and lanterns of different academic units were shown off for a final time.

Seventeen were injured, including two people, engineering student Jomerson Salazar, 18, and Lucia Encinareal, 67, who had to be brought to the Capitol Medical Center for treatment of serious medical attention.

The U.P. administration said the 15 others were released on the same evening after they were treated for burns or wounds at the U.P. Infirmary, an on-campus medical facility.

Salazar was treated for a head injury while the elderly Encinareal suffered a dislocated shoulder.

The university and the pyrotechnics contractor in charge of the display immediately responded to the calls for help of the injured onlookers.

On Saturday, university officials as well as a fraternity met to discuss the accident.

The Quezon City Police District’s Anonas police station also invited for questioning two employees of the Solar Harvest Company, reportedly the contractor of the fireworks display.

“While we are saddened by it, the incident also demonstrated how the UP administration, students and employees, the UP Campus local government unit, UP alumni, and the Philippine Red Cross quickly responded and rallied around those who were affected,” the statement read.

The Lantern Parade is an annual tradition since 1922 which marks the end of classes and the start of the Christmas vacation for the university’s students.

According to the U.P. administration, the Yuletide lantern festival has always with a bang through fireworks displays sans any untoward incidents.

“This year, despite meticulous safety measures, it was unfortunate that in the last few seconds of the spectacular fireworks display, a pyrotechnic misfired and landed in the midst of several affected spectators,” the university said in its apology.