Gas, not bomb caused San Juan blast – police

MANILA, Philippines - A leaking liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank may have caused the explosion inside a restaurant in San Juan City last Saturday that injured seven people, a police official disclosed yesterday.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Miguel Laurel said personnel from the police explosives and ordnance division detected a strong smell of LPG in the restaurant.

The explosion hit the Mañosa Noodles, Seafoods and Chops restaurant along Wilson Street at about 1:10 a.m.

Those injured were Allan Cabana, Julius Raz, Jaime Arvin Tacdoro, Marlon Urdas, Reynaldo Namura, taxi driver Gabriel Padilla, and security guard Benito Tinio.

Laurel said investigators have not recovered any explosive residue inside the restaurant.

He said swab samples taken by elements of the police Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) are negative for explosive ingredients.

“The partial specimen gathered inside the restaurant shows no traces of explosive ingredients, meaning the explosion was not caused by a bomb,” said Laurel in an interview.

Laurel claimed that the SOCO investigation is still ongoing and the exact cause of explosion is not yet determined.

Laurel said those injured were three workers doing repairs inside the restaurant, a passing taxi driver, a security guard, and two employees of a pizza parlor across the street.

The seven victims were hit by flying glass debris from the restaurant, police said. The victims were brought to Cardinal Santos Medical Center for treatment.

At least 10 vehicles in the area were also damaged by debris from the blast.

Initial police investigation showed Cabana and Raz were repairing a pipe in a sink at the restaurant, owned by Charlyn Tan, when the explosion occurred.

The blast also injured Tacdoro, who was sleeping in the Papalaba Laundry Shop beside the eatery.

The explosion shattered the glass windows of nearby establishments, injuring Tinio, Urdas and Namura, who just passing in front of the restaurant.

Padilla, who was driving a passing taxicab, was also injured.