BFP probes cause of Bocaue explosion

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has started an investigation of the fire that destroyed a row of stalls selling firecrackers in Bocaue, Bulacan Monday morning. QTV Balitanghali reported that the BFP had sent arson investigators to the explosion site to determine the cause of the explosion that rapidly spread. Bocaue police director Chief Insp. Rizalino Andaya earlier told dzBB radio that initial reports point to a lighted cigarette that may have triggered the explosion. The fire started a minute before 10 a.m. Firefighters put it out before 11 a.m. It injured members of a GMA-7 television electronic news gathering (ENG) crew, and caused local residents to panic. The crewmembers received first aid, the report said. Video clips showed the incident may have started from a smaller fire that local residents tried to contain. Several explosions were then heard, and fires broke out in the row of stores. At least six persons taken to the hospital for injuries had been released, dzBB radio reported. Doctors said those brought in for treatment suffered relatively minor injuries in the arms and body. None of them suffered serious injuries, the report said. Initial reports identified the six injured as Niño Caragcang, Melissa Dinglasan, Roel, Jenny de Jesus, Romeo de Jesus, and Rolando Santos. A resident, Carlo Santiago, told QTV Balitanghali that he heard a series of smaller explosions shortly before it spread into neighboring stores, causing a huge fire. “Mahinang putok nag-start sa dulo ng tindahan. Palagay ko may nagsisindi sa tindahan, lumipat ang sindi sa kabilang tindahan. After mga two minutes malakas ang putok, takbuhan na lahat (I heard an explosion coming from a store on one end and spread into the next. The fire spread and after two minutes I heard loud explosions and everyone was scampering for safety)," he said. Santiago said firefighters were slow in rushing to the site. A fire truck previously stationed near the row of stalls had been moved to another spot, he said. - GMANews.TV