Summer heat may have sparked police camp blast, says Davao cop exec

DAVAO CITY — Police on Easter Sunday said the searing summer heat may have caused the accidental blast inside the stockroom for recovered bombs and other explosives that resulted to damage and fire inside the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) compound on Black Saturday.

Capt. Ma. Teresita Gaspan, DCPO spokesperson, said investigation indicated the extreme temperature inside the stockroom of the Explosive and Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit at the Camp Capt. Domingo Leonor along San Pedro St. may have triggered some of the explosives stored there to go off.

The city’s sweltering temperature had peaked at 34 degrees Celsius around the time of the explosion.

“Technical investigation revealed minimal structural damage of the EOD facility. The (shockwave) was effectively contained by the strong reinforced concrete (wall) of the ammunition stockroom (where the blast occurred),” Gaspan said.

The blast did not cause any injury.

Aside from the EOD stockroom, the 11:20 a.m. explosion and subsequent fire damaged several living quarters for the EOD/K9 and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams, the city police spokesperson said.

Andrew Mojica, a security guard of a nearby hotel, said he heard a powerful explosion that damaged the ceiling of a dormitory across from the camp.

Firefighters from the Bureau of Fire Protection and Central 911 responded and quickly put out the blaze, according to Supt. Virnalita Silagan, Davao City fire chief.

Lt. Col. Alexander Tagum, DCPO chief, allayed fears similar accidents might happen and put the lives of residents living on the other side of the camp wall at risk.

Tagum said they were looking for ways to secure the recovered explosives in their inventory.

These bombs and grenades could not be disposed of as of yet as these are pieces of evidence of pending cases.

He said the city police would acquire the residential areas closest to the camp for future expansion as these were supposed to be part of the DCPO.