3 hurt as drying oven explodes at Suriago City mine

MANILA, Philippines—Three people were injured after a gas-fed soil sampling dryer exploded Thursday morning at a mining company in Surigao City, police said Friday.

Superintendent Martin Gamba, Caraga police spokesman, said that the drying oven blew up at 7:47 a.m. Thursday inside the compound of Silangan Mindanao Mining Company Incorporated (SMMCI), in Barangay Luna, Surigao City.

Gamba identified the victims as Nicolas Tari, and SMMCI employees James Bolambao and Raul Manlimos.

Initial investigation revealed that at around 7  a.m. Thursday, Bolambao was about to turn off the drying oven and its gas tank after noticing that it failed to ignite when Tari tried to turn it on.

However, before Bolambao was able to reach the gas tank valve, Tari turned it on again which resulted in a sudden explosion.

Tari and Manlimos sustained minor injuries and were discharged from the hospital while Bolambao remained confined at Surigao Medical Center in Surigao City, he said.

Authorities were investigating the incident, Gamba said.