1 killed, 2 hurt as boiler explodes in Zamboanga City factory

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — A worker was killed while two others were wounded when the industrial steam machine or boiler inside a factory in Barangay Talisayan here heated up and exploded around 11:30 am on Tuesday, May 28.

Police Brigadier General Emmanuel Licup, director of Police Regional Office 9 (PRO9), said Zacarias Alberyo Rico, 49, assistant boiler operator of the Southwest Asia Canning Corporation, died on the spot.

His other companions, Francisco Caunsag Dumagal, 39, the boiler’s head operator; and Mark Anthony Romano Villaflores, 28, the canning factory’s safety officer, were injured in the explosion.

Licup said the three victims were repairing the boiler when it exploded. Rico was a resident of Dumagsa, Zone 1 in Talisayan town.

Police estimate the damage caused by the explosion to reach P1.5 million. (Editor: Eden Estopace)