Van catches fire near Capitol

A maroon Toyota Lite Ace van heading toward the corner of Escario and M. Velez streets suddenly burst into flames a few meters from the Provincial Capitol where President Gloria Arroyo was scheduled to deliver a speech yesterday.

The driver, Prudence Salutillo, 38, left the van bearing plate number GDU-620 before it was wreathed in flames reportedly due to a leaking gas pipe.

The incident took place around 12: 20 p.m. when Salutillo, an interior designer, was on his way home from Banawa, barangay Guadalupe where he met a client.

Salutillo was about to turn right from Don Gil Garcia Street to Escario Street when he noticed that the van sparked and began to emit smoke.

"Pagkatimaho nako sa aso tungod sa akong kahadlok, migawas dayon ko sa akong van," Salutillo said.

The incident, which happened at the center island near the right wing of the Provincial Capitol, caused the traffic to be re-routed.

Salutillo said the second-hand vehicle, which cost more than P100,000, was scheduled for shop repair yesterday after he noticed last Wednesday that it had a problem.

Bureau of Fire Protection investigator Felix Romero said Salutillo already noticed the leaking gas inside his vehicle and decided to proceed to the shop for inspection.

But upon reaching the Capitol area, Salutillo noticed the smoke coming from under the van, prompting him to go out to inspect. But the flames suddenly engulfed his car.

Policemen assigned to guard the president who was expected to arrive at the Capitol immediately helped Salutillo put out the blaze with fire extinguishers. But the fire extinguishers proved no match against the flames, prompting the policemen to call the BFP.

Romero said the leaking fuel pipe inside the car engine might have indeed triggered the fire. -Edwin Ian Melecio with Gary Lao/LPM