1 dead, 6 hurt as boat explodes at Navotas port

A man was killed while six others were injured after an explosion rocked a boat docked at the Navotas Fishport at 6:21 a.m. Thursday.

The fatality was identified as John Robert Gallego while five of the six who were hurt were Ronald and Jomar Billosillo, David Lanonete, Marvin Reyes and Danilo Medina.

Senior Fire Officer 2 Zaldy Bajado, an investigator assigned at the city’s Bureau of Fire Prevention office, told the Inquirer an initial investigation showed that the victims were unloading several drums of crude oil from the boat when the explosion occurred.

Bajado added that they were looking into the possibility that the blast was caused by gas fumes or a lit cigarette.

Authorities were also trying to determine if the group was involved in the pilfering of oil, he said.

Two of the injured were taken to Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila where they were reported to be in critical condition.

The four other men—three of whom sustained third degree burns—were recuperating in Tondo Medical Center, Bajado said.—Kristine Felisse Mangunay