Grenade blast causes brownout

MABALACAT CITY—A grenade explosion that damaged the main power transformer of Pampanga Electric Cooperative II (Pelco II) on Tuesday resulted in a 26-hour power outage that affected residential areas and businesses here.

Pelco II officials initially assumed the explosion at 2 p.m. Tuesday was caused by an obstructed power line which, they said, sometimes takes place during a heavy downpour.

Maintenance workers later discovered shattered parts of the upper portion of the main power transformer and its primary and secondary bushing insulators, apparently from an explosion.

Police forensic experts from Angeles City found fragments of a hand grenade at the site.

Pelco II said P500,000 worth of equipment was damaged.

The blackout started at 3 p.m. Tuesday until past

6 p.m. on Wednesday, drawing angry text messages from consumers who assumed their power had been cut off due to arrears. Jun Malig, Inquirer Central Luzon