Oil plant explodes in Pampanga town

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO –– A factory that converts used oil into diesel in the Pampanga town of San Simon burst into flames on Monday night (Nov. 25) and triggered explosions, according to the police. No one was hurt.

The series of explosions at Sunflare Industrial Supply Corp., which occurred at the end of a local brownout, was heard as far as this capital city, residents told the INQUIRER by text messages.

The blasts occurred at 11:30 p.m. after electricity resumed at the oil refinery in Barangay San Pablo Libutad, said Police Staff Sgt. Jay dela Cruz, the investigator.

The Sunflare plant lies more than a kilometer away from populated areas.

It operates outside a privately run industrial park along Quezon Road.

The owner, Aedy Yang, a Chinese national, could not be reached. He has not released an estimate of the damage at posting time.

The Bureau of Fire Protection declared fire out at 12:10 a.m. on Tuesday.

The cause of the explosion and fire is still being determined. Tonette Orejas

Edited by LZB