Death toll in Laguna firecracker factory blast rises to 5

Firefighters and policemen inspect the premises of the firecracker factory in Cabuyao, Laguna, after it was engulfed by flames following an explosion on Thursday. —CABUYAO COMPONENT CITY POLICE STATION

LUCENA CITY – Another injured victim of the explosion at the firecracker factory in Cabuyao, Laguna also passed away shortly before midnight on Friday, Feb. 2, bringing the total number of fatalities in the incident to five, police said.

Lieutenant Colonel John Eric Antonio, Cabuyao police chief, said in a report obtained by the Inquirer on Saturday afternoon that Beim Reymundo Dia, 5, (earlier identified by police report as BM Reymundodia), was first confined in a hospital in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna.

However, due to his worsening condition, he was transferred to the East Ave. Medical Hospital in Quezon City but died around 11:30 p.m. on Friday.

The boy was the fifth fatality after the Diamond Fireworks Inc., located in Barangay Bigaa, exploded on Thursday afternoon.

The other four fatalities were identified as John Ronald Deduro, 23; Marvin Ocom, 27; Ricardo Olic-Olic, 51; and Bebot Reymundo Dia, 44, who were workers of the factory.

Three other injured victims — Gemboy Delonino, Mylene Tarapidio, and Brian Reymundo Dia — remain confined in different hospitals for treatment.

Fire investigators were looking into the mishandling of firecrackers as the possible cause of the blast.

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