LIMAY, Bataan- One died and 30, mostly workers of a Korean company, were injured during a collision between a liquefied petroleum gas tanker and a service bus at a road curve along the Roman Superhighway in Barangay Lamao here Friday morning.
Supt. Felix Castro, Limay police chief, said Alex Mungcal, 43, LPG tanker driver, died on the spot while two truck helpers and 28 workers were brought to different hospitals. Castro personally supervised the rescue operations and the clearing of the busy road where traffic was stalled.
Nineteen persons were treated at the Limay Emergency Hospital and 11 others were rushed to the Bataan General Hospital in Balanga City. The tanker came from San Fernando, Pampanga and heading towards Liquigaz in Mariveles, Bataan while the service bus loaded with workers of a Korean company was bound for Limay when the accident happened past 6 a.m.
“Bumarega ang tanker at malakas ang kalabog, akala ko may pumutok kaya natakot ako. Nakita ko nagtalunan sa bus ang mga tao,” said Betty Paguio, 67, owner of sari-sari store nearby. “Biglang sumalubong ang tanker kaya umiwas ang driver namin pero sinalpok pa rin,” April Hernandez, one of the service bus passengers said.
He was injured on the nose. “Tumama sa likod ng upuan,” he said. The front portion of the LPG tanker was heavil damaged while the service bus incurred major damage on the left side of its hood. The service bus narrowly missed a head-on collision.
“Kung hindi umiwas ang driver namin, patay kaming lahat,” Hernandez said.
