San Juan blast an accident – EPD

MANILA, Philippines - An explosion at a restaurant in San Juan City that left seven people hurt on Aug. 17 was an industrial accident, an official said yesterday.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Miguel Laurel said there was a gas leak at the Mañosa Noodles Seafoods and Chops restaurant along Wilson street and somebody was grinding something in the establishment, triggering the explosion.

“There was no bomb fragment, no explosive parts and no cratering. So our investigators found the explosion was caused by an industrial accident,” Laurel said in an interview.

He said personnel from the Bureau of Fire, Explosives and Ordnance Division and Scene of the Crime Operatives reported “that the explosion was definitely not caused by a bomb.”

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

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

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

According to police reports, Cabana and Raz were repairing a pipe under a sink at the restaurant, owned by Charlyn Tan, when the blast happened.

The explosion injured Tacdoro, who was sleeping in the Papalaba Laundry Shop beside the restaurant.

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

Padilla was also hit by debris as he was driving his taxi past the restaurant.