Four hurt in Quezon City chemical blast

INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Four people were hurt in a chemical explosion in Novaliches, Quezon City, on Thursday, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) reported.

The BFP said the explosion happened at the one-story building of ABAM Steel Fabrication in General Luis Basa Compound, Nagkaisang Nayon, Novaliches.

Authorities have yet to finally determine the cause of the blast as an investigation is ongoing.

Senior Fire Officer Rick Caranto told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview that the people injured were an employee and relatives of business owner Abigail Arcilla Basa. The BFP report named the victims as Michael Tubiera, Fernando Arcilla, and senior citizens Jerome Arcilla and Geronimo Arcilla.

The BFP officer said the victims suffered second-degree burns and that Tubiera likewise experienced difficulty breathing while Fernando Arcilla sustained a broken right leg.

All victims were brought to East Avenue Medical Center for treatment, he added.

Caranto also said in a subsequent text message to INQUIRER.net that the explosion happened while an empty drum was being cut into two. It seemed that the drum used to contain a chemical and residues may have been left on its walls that the process of cutting it triggered a spark that led to an explosion.

“[W]ala na laman [‘yun] pero possible na may mga nag accumulate na flammable fumes s[a] loob na dapat pinasingaw muna,” he said.

(It is already empty but it is possible that there are flammable fumes that have accumulated inside that should have been evaporated first.)

The BFP noted a fire following the explosion at the building’s production area. The fire was raised to the first alarm at 2:02 p.m. and immediately extinguished at 2:10 p.m.

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