ABUCAY, Bataan – Six persons suffered serious burns all over their bodies Friday after an explosion and fire transpired at a Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) refilling station along the Bataan superhighway at Sitio Burgos, Mabatang, here.
Senior Insp. Jesus Martin, Abucay police chief, said investigation showed that if not for the quick response of driver Rolando, the giant LPG tanker parked inside the fire scene might have exploded.
“Naagapan ng driver ng LPG tanker na maisara ang hose ng trak na dinadaluyan ng LPG habang nagkakasunog kaya hindi sumabog ang truck,” the police chief said.
The tanker driver was wounded but not confined at the hospital, police information officer Tara Young said. Sr. Supt. Manuel Gaerlan, Bataan police director, has directed a thorough investigation of the incident.
Those who suffered 3rd degree burns and brought to the Bataan General Hospital in Balanga were Orlando Gumila, 38, of Sta. Rosa, Laguna; Efren Mora, 41, of Bagong Silang, Balanga City and his nephew Ecel Mora, 24, of Alangan, Limay, Bataan; Jun-Jun Ramos, 29, of Wakas, Pilar, Bataan; Benjamin Ponesto, 72, of Limay and Romeo Valencia, 49, of Abucay.
Later in the day, the six victims were one by one transferred to two Metro Manila hospitals. Gumila was transferred to the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City while the five other victims to the Jose Reyes Medical Center in Manila.
Martin said police and members of the Abucay Bureau of Fire rushed to the scene after receiving reports at 11:30 in the evening that an explosion was heard and a big fire erupted at the still unidentified refilling station.
He said that investigations revealed that workers were loading LPG from the tanker direct to the small LPG tanks.
“Habang nagsasalin ng LPG sa maliliit na tangke mula sa truck, maaaring may nagsindi ng sigarilyo o nagkaroon ng spark dahil sa impact ng mabilisang pagkakarga sa cylinder tanks,” the chief of police said.
But he also said that the Bureau of Fire Protection has not come up with a final investigation as to the real or actual cause of the fire and explosion.
Martin said firefighters and the police were still in the process of investigation.
Residents near the LPG refilling station said they were awakened by a loud explosion and saw a big fire.
A woman said she and her husband were frightened and woke-up their children and ran out of the house and went to a safe place some meters away.
Senior Insp. Jesus Martin, Abucay police chief, said investigation showed that if not for the quick response of driver Rolando, the giant LPG tanker parked inside the fire scene might have exploded.
“Naagapan ng driver ng LPG tanker na maisara ang hose ng trak na dinadaluyan ng LPG habang nagkakasunog kaya hindi sumabog ang truck,” the police chief said.
The tanker driver was wounded but not confined at the hospital, police information officer Tara Young said. Sr. Supt. Manuel Gaerlan, Bataan police director, has directed a thorough investigation of the incident.
Those who suffered 3rd degree burns and brought to the Bataan General Hospital in Balanga were Orlando Gumila, 38, of Sta. Rosa, Laguna; Efren Mora, 41, of Bagong Silang, Balanga City and his nephew Ecel Mora, 24, of Alangan, Limay, Bataan; Jun-Jun Ramos, 29, of Wakas, Pilar, Bataan; Benjamin Ponesto, 72, of Limay and Romeo Valencia, 49, of Abucay.
Later in the day, the six victims were one by one transferred to two Metro Manila hospitals. Gumila was transferred to the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City while the five other victims to the Jose Reyes Medical Center in Manila.
Martin said police and members of the Abucay Bureau of Fire rushed to the scene after receiving reports at 11:30 in the evening that an explosion was heard and a big fire erupted at the still unidentified refilling station.
He said that investigations revealed that workers were loading LPG from the tanker direct to the small LPG tanks.
“Habang nagsasalin ng LPG sa maliliit na tangke mula sa truck, maaaring may nagsindi ng sigarilyo o nagkaroon ng spark dahil sa impact ng mabilisang pagkakarga sa cylinder tanks,” the chief of police said.
But he also said that the Bureau of Fire Protection has not come up with a final investigation as to the real or actual cause of the fire and explosion.
Martin said firefighters and the police were still in the process of investigation.
Residents near the LPG refilling station said they were awakened by a loud explosion and saw a big fire.
A woman said she and her husband were frightened and woke-up their children and ran out of the house and went to a safe place some meters away.
