Blast damages bridge to mine

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Unidentified persons set off explosives on a steel and wooden bridge leading to a mining site in Masinloc, Zambales, Sunday morning but no one was hurt in the blast, police said.

Senior Supt. Francisco Santiago, Zambales police director, said his men were investigating the incident on the bridge in Barangay (village) Taltal. The blast happened just after 1 a.m. on Sunday.

He said the bridge, which is 3.04 meters (10 feet) long, was damaged and the Department of Public Works and Highways had committed to finish the repair in a day.

Santiago said the police were looking at a dispute over the ownership of chromite tailings at Coto Mines as a possible motive for the blast.

Chief Insp. Pancho Doble, Masinloc police chief, said the bridge was located at Kilometer 13 of the access road that is used by miners and residents of the villages of Baloganon and Taltal.

Santiago said three bridges in the same area leading to Coto Mines were blown up last year.—Tonette Orejas and Cesar Villa