1 killed, 9 injured in accidental blast at Army training center

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines -- A military instructor was killed and nine trainees were badly hurt in an accidental explosion in an Army training facility here.

 

Superintendent Romeo Galgo, Jr., information officer of Police Regional Office 12, identified the fatality as Sgt. Pablo Balasag of the Army Reserve Command, assigned to the 12th Regional Community Defense Headquarters in Barangay Asinan southwest of this city.

 

Galgo was explaining something about the fragmentation grenade he held in one hand when it exploded accidentally, killing him on the spot and wounding nine trainees studying the detection of hidden explosives.

 

Responding police investigators withheld the names of the nine blast victims pending notification of their families.

 

“The slain instructor was holding the grenade and was demonstrating something to the trainees when it accidentaly exploded,” Galgo said.

 

Galgo said they immediately allayed fears of General Santos City residents by announcing the incident was not intentional.

 

“It was an accident,” Galgo said.