Fire blast kills man in Navotas fish port

A fisherman was killed after a gasoline-filled drum exploded on the deck of a fishing boat Thursday afternoon in Navotas.

Police identified the victim as Victorino Vina, a native of Batangas, a stay-in fishing boat worker of the Unity Fishing Corp. with offices at Pier 5, Navotas Fishport Complex, in Barangay North Bay Boulevard South (NBBS).

Initial investigation showed the incident happened at around five in the afternoon on the deck of M/V Unity Neptune while berthed at the pier.

Probers gathered that the victim was trying to bring the drum down to the lower deck when it rolled on a live wire connected to an electric welding machine.

Sparks then flew causing the gasoline to ignite and explode.

No one else was reported injured even as the vessel sustained slight damage, police said.

Meanwhile, eight persons were injured after the tractor-trailer they were riding skidded and overturned along Quirino Avenue in Manila the other night.

Police and traffic enforcers failed to immediately remove the truck from the road until early Friday morning, causing a huge traffic jam in the area.

The Western Police District-Traffic Management Group said the incident took place at around 10:30 p.m.

Authorities could not immediately identify the injured victims, who suffered minor injuries and were taken to the Ospital ng Maynila.

Traffic police said the truck with license plate DUE-165, owned by Cabalen Company, was slightly damaged after it skidded and turned on its side.

Investigators have yet to establish the reason why the truck skidded and overturned. – Jerry Botial and Cecille Suerte Felipe