‘Negligence caused Bulacan pyrotechnics store blast’

BOCAUE, Bulacan, Philippines – The head of local fireworks makers said negligence was the cause of the explosion at a pyrotechnics store here last Wednesday that killed two people and wounded at least 20.

Celso Cruz, chairman emeritus of the Philippine Pyrotechnics Manufacturers and Dealers Association Inc. (PPMDAI), said the owners should have stored raw materials separately from finished products.

Cruz attended a meeting at the Bocaue municipal building after the joint inspection of the blast site was conducted yesterday by officials of the police Firearms and Explosive Office, the Public Safety Division, the Civil Security Group, Bureau of Fire, Department of Health, local town officials and PPMDAI officers of various fireworks stores and factories in the towns of Bocaue, Sta. Maria and San Rafael.

Supt. Soledad Arciso, assistant chief of the police Education and Enforcement Management Division, has confirmed that the owner of the store that exploded had a license to sell raw materials for fireworks and also a permit as pyrotechnics dealer.

Gina Gonzales, owner of Gina Gonzales Merchandize that exploded, and Manuel Ayala, a former barangay chairman, were killed in the blast that also destroyed 10 establishments in Barangay Binang 1st.

Arciso explained that chemicals and other raw materials for fireworks should not be stored together with finished products.

Cruz told The STAR that a television interview of one of Gonzales’ helpers, who was injured in the explosion, had confirmed that they were trying to neutralize the possible explosion of the chemical “devil” that was emitting smoke by splashing it with water, but it didn’t work. Gonzales then pushed her out before the blast.