2 Pinoys dead in Qatar gas explosion

MANILA, Philippines - Two Filipinos were killed and two others were injured when a gas tank exploded at a restaurant in Doha, Qatar shortly after 10 a.m. on Thursday.

Ten other people were killed in the blast at the Istanbul Turkish Restaurant located near a gasoline station and a popular  shopping center.  

Quoting the Philippine embassy in Doha, Administrator Carmelita Dimzon of  the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) identified the dead as Charlie de Castro and Romar Fadujilao, who were  working as merchandisers in a store next to the Turkish restaurant.

Embassy officials   identified the injured as Philip Joy Reyes and Frederick Pisano.

They are in the trauma section of Hamad General Hospital in Doha. At least 31 people were injured in the blast.

Raul Hernandez, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman, said the two injured Filipinos are now in stable condition in a hospital.

Secretary Albert del Rosario has instructed the Philippine embassy in Doha to immediately process the papers for the repatriation of the bodies of the fatalities, he added.

Dimzon said embassy and OWWA officials in Doha are now working for the repatriation of the injured and for the bodies of the  fatalities to be flown home.

“The cause of the explosion must be investigated first before they can go home, but our officials are already working on their repatriation,” she said.

Dimzon said only one of the fatalities and the injured were active members of OWWA and thus entitled to receive benefits.

“The family of the bonafide OWWA member will get all due benefits, including death and burial benefits as well as scholarship for one of the children and entrepreneurship assistance for the surviving spouse,” she said.

OWWA welfare officers have been sent to notify and counsel the families of the fatalities, Dimzon said.

Initial indications suggested a natural gas tank atop the restaurant that burst was to blame for the blast.

The force of the explosion caused the partial collapse of the restaurant and sent shrapnel flying as far as 50 meters away, authorities said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has ordered the recruiters of two Filipino seafarers to explain why they went overboard in the South Baltic Sea.

Administrator Hans Cacdac said: “We will ask them to first produce the necessary reports from the Dutch authorities that will explain what happened, so as to give closure to the seafarers’ loved ones. Also, the manning agent needs to be transparent and facilitative in terms of providing benefits and the entitlements to the families.”

 â€“ With Pia Lee-Brago, AP