7 hurt as LPG tank explodes, triggers fire in Cebu City

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Seven persons, including three children, were wounded on Thursday when a leaking liquefied petroleum (LPG) tank exploded and triggered a fire in front of a junk shop in Barangay Calamba in Cebu City.

Among those hurt was Carlito Tampon who tried to sell three LPG tanks used by taxi units to the junk shop owned by Joel Ramos in Sitio Paglaum, Barangay Calamba about 2:50 p.m.

Berhildis Ong, a worker of the junk shop, said  he turned down Tampon because the Cebu City Hall had warned against the buying of whole tanks and had told junk shops to buy them in pieces.

After hearing this, Tampon beat on the inlet valve of one of the tanks about three meters away from a barbecue stand. Gas leaked from the tank, triggering an explosion after it caught fire from the barbecue stand.

The fire also spread to a portion of the wall of the house at the back of the barbecue stand as well as the nearby unoccupied small huts.

Six persons who were at the barbecue stand suffered burns in the different parts of the body.  They were Junrey Douglas; Cristina Lavistre, 35; Angel Lavistre, 4; Gwendolyn Montemayor, in her 30s, and daughter Angel, 5; and Bianca Rama, 7.

Tampon suffered burns on the face, chest and other parts of the body. He was brought to the Cebu City Medical Center while the rest were brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Dennis Escaran, a civilian driver of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, said he happened to pass by the area when the fire broke out.

Escaran said he found a fire extinguisher in front of the junk shop and used it to put out the fire. He then brought the victims to the hospital.