Another Bulacan firecracker factory explodes; no one injured

Barely two days after a deadly explosion hit a fireworks factory in Bulacan, another fireworks factory exploded in another town in the province on Wednesday. Inspector Greg Santos of the Baliuag town police said the initial reports indicated that no one was injured in the blast. "Wala raw sugatan, maliit raw yan, sa bukid (Initial reports showed no one was hurt because the explosion was relatively small and in a field)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio on Wednesday. He said the incident occurred t a factory owned by Narciso Roque at the Sto. Niño area in Baliuag, Bulacan. The explosion occurred less than two days after a concrete warehouse in Angat town exploded, damaging houses around it. At least one person was killed and eight were injured in Monday night's blast. Bulacan gained a reputation as the country's fireworks capital. In the Philippines, the pyrotechnics industry finds it roots in Bulacan. A resident of Sta. Maria town, Valentin Sta. Ana, learned the craft of pyrotechnics-making from a parish priest in 1867. Coast Guard foils firecrackers smuggle try Meanwhile, Philippine Coast Guard operatives foiled this week an attempt to smuggle some P60,000 worth of firecrackers to Catanduanes province in Bicol. The PCG said its personnel and K-9 units found the firecrackers aboard a cargo truck (RBR-423) during a search at the port of Tabaco in Albay. Citing belated reports, the Coast Guard said on its website the incident occurred at 6:00 a.m. Monday, after checking the baggage of passengers at the port. Truck driver Fernando Ariate and two of his helpers said the owner of the firecrackers, Jerry Serano, requested them to load and transport the cargo from Balintawak, Quezon City to Virac, Catanduanes. The initial investigation showed that the firecrackers had no original permit to transfer documents from the Philippine National Police. The shipment also reportedly had no official receipt from the manufacturers or dealers and the items were not properly packed. The Coast Guard added the items had no special permit to carry dangerous cargoes (MARINA Memorandum Circular Nr 101). In tightening its inspection for firecrackers, the Coast Guard cited an explosion of a fireworks warehouse in Bulacan on Monday, killing one and injuring at least eight others. Citing reports reaching it, the Coast Guard said the Bulacan blast stemmed from the alleged 40 boxes of firecrackers and “Judas belts" stacked within the Bulacan property. The confiscated cargo included: