14 hurt in Sta. Ana blast

No, it wasn’t a bomb – vintage, terrorist-made or otherwise. But the damage and harm caused by the explosion was just as terrifying.

Fourteen people, mostly children, were injured in a crowded Manila neighborhood when acetylene tanks exploded inside a junk shop in Sta. Ana Monday night.

Senior Inspector Lorenzo Molato, chief of the Explosives and Ordnance Division (EOD) of the WPD, said the blast was caused by a leak in the hose of one of acetylene gas tanks inside a junk shop at the ground floor of a four-story house owned by Norberto Makato at 1730 Road 4, Bagong Sikap, Punta, Sta. Ana.

The explosion occurred at about 7:45 p.m. when one of the shop’s helpers lit a cigarette.

The impact of the blast destroyed the ground and second floors of the house. Walls were partially pushed while the beams were bent.

"We observed a pushing effect on the building which is one of the characteristics of a gas explosion," Molato said.

Bomb experts failed to sift for more evidence as the house was in danger of collapsing.

Reports reaching the WPD headquarters identified those injured as junk shop helpers Rene Lozano, 32; and Henry Mali, 34; Edward Macato, 2 John Vincent Macato, 3; Feliciano Villafranca, 60; John Macato, 3 Jesus Cabigting, 6; Joshua Cabigting, 6; and Gabriel Perez. They were rushed to the Ospital ng Maynila for burns in the arms, face and body.

Rushed to the Mandaluyong Medical Center were Rita La Union, 32; Maria Malit, 12; Marvin Gabrile, 1; and Jemma Gabriel, 37. They sustained minor injuries, police said.

Three-month-old Nilo Bonillo was rushed to the Philippine General Hospital after sustaining burns in the body. Police said the children were hurt while playing near the junk shop.

Some residents earlier feared that a World War II bomb being kept inside the junk shop had exploded. Just recently at least two vintage bombs had been salvaged from the shores of the Pasig River.

However, barangay officials said the bombs had been confiscated by authorities for proper disposal.

Bomb experts pointed to three factors which ruled out the possibility of bomb explosion in the Sta. Ana incident.

"There are no punctured holes coming from metal fragments or shrapnel, there is no cratering or a deep hole from an exploded bomb anywhere in the area, and the victims have no shrapnel wounds but sustained only burns in the body caused by the thermal blast effect of the explosion," Molato said. – With Nestor Etolle, Ann Corvera