MALOLOS CITY – A six year old boy from Nueva Ecija died in a firecracker explosion in Norzagaray town on Monday night, while his father was injured.
Superintendent Bruno Viola, chief of police of Norzagaray town, identified the fatality as John Ezekiel Silva, 6, while his father Noli was injured. The Silvas came from Guimba Nueva Ecija.
This developed, the number of firecracker related injuries climbed to 11 with the boy as the first casualty this year.
Viola said that both victims just bought P30,000 of pyrotechnics products from Bocaue town and were supposed to be sold in Nueva Ecija.
Witnesses said that the older Silva parked his tricycle beside the road at Barangay Partida to take a leak around 8 p.m. on Monday night, while his son was in the tricycle with the firecrackers.
Suddenly, the pyrotechnics exploded and killed John.
Witnesses said that the engine of the tricycle was still running when the explosion occurred.
Police said that firecracker wick might have caught fire on the hot exhaust pipe of the tricycle.
The Provincial Public Health Office said that 11 persons have been injured in Bulacan due to pyrotechnics.
They said that young John is the first casualty this year.
By Dino Balabo and Rommel Ramos
