Fire officials warn vs refilled butane canisters after Cebu blaze

CEBU CITY—Fire officials are asking the public to refrain from using butane canisters refilled with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in cooking following the fire that displaced 134 persons in Cordova town, Mactan Island, Cebu.

SFO4 Mario Randy Cuizon, investigator of the Cordova fire department, said a butane canister that exploded while being used caused the fire and razed 31 houses in Sitio Germelina, Cogon, about 5:57 p.m. on Friday.

Gregorio Baguio was cooking dinner using an LPG-refilled butane canister at the house of his brother, Junrey, when the canister exploded.

Gregorio suffered third degree burns while Junrey, who rushed to help him, sustained minor burns.  Gregorio was confined in the hospital.

Cuizon said butane canisters refilled with LPG are popular especially among urban poor families in the city because these are cheaper compared to regular LPG tanks.

A canister costs P10 per refill and can last for two to three days while an 11-kg LPG tank costs P800 per refill.

Cuizon, however, warned that the public should realize that the use of butane canisters could be dangerous and prone to explosion.

He pointed out that LPG tanks are safer because the LPG is contained inside a tank made of thick metal.

“Imagine the same LPG placed inside mere canisters,” he said. RC