‘Now we know how victims of calamities feel’

The wake for year-old Nina Louise Ape, killed by the water tank explosion, is being held at the house of the baby’s grandparents as her family’s house had been destroyed as a result of the blast. —CARMELA REYES-ESTROPE

CITY OF SAN JOSE DEL MONTE — The wake of year-old Nina Louise Ape could not be held at her home.

The house was flattened when a community water tank exploded on Friday dawn, shooting out jets of water and debris that killed Nina and another baby, year-old Jaina Espina, police aide Jimmy Garcia and resident Elaine Chamzon.

The blast hurt more than 40 people and damaged 60 houses and business establishments in Barangay Muzon here.

On Monday, Mayor Arthur Robes met with officials of the San Jose del Monte Water District, which operates the tank, the police and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to discuss why and how the explosion happened.

Ramiro Cruz, chief of the DPWH second engineering district, said they would need more time examining the blast site.

But the tank explosion was far from the mind of Nina’s father, Raphael Ape, 42, a village dengue sprayer. The blast also injured his wife and three of their seven children, who were swept by floodwater when the tank unleashed over 2,000 cubic meters of water that toppled their concrete house.

Ape said the family had yet to set a burial date for his daughter because they were still looking for a cemetery. He said the St. Joseph public cemetery here had no more space for Nina, and had asked the water district to spend for the burial at a private cemetery.

“But our needs do not end with burial expenses. Where will we live? We cannot stay with our in-laws. How do we cope when my three children are released from the hospital? Where will they go? Who will buy their medicine?” he said.

Jaina, the other baby killed in the explosion, had been taken to Parañaque City. Her parents were store helpers in one of the shops that was destroyed by the blast.

A businessman, who owned four stalls in Muzon, said he lost nearly P8 million worth of merchandise. “Now we know how victims of calamities feel,” he said. —Carmela Reyes-Estrope