2 dead in Zambales gasoline station blaze

CASTILLEJOS, Zambales — The cashier and a worker of a Petron gasoline station here were killed last Wednesday night in a two-hour fire which investigators said was triggered by a prank pulled off by another worker.

The fatalities, cashier Isabelita Ferrera and gasoline boy Gener Inez, were trapped in the blaze which started at 7:10 p.m., the police said.

Four employees of the gas station in Barangay San Juan told probers that fellow worker Benedict Manzano, 18, was trying to pull off a prank on his co-workers by threatening to light a lighter near a pail filled with gasoline.

While the lighter did not really produce a flame, its spark was enough to ignite the fuel in the pail.

The four workers — Edu Gonzales, 18 Henson Castro, 20 Gil Dunaal, 20 and Rommel Ranse, 18 — said that as soon as the pail was ablaze, Manzano told them to throw it into the street away from the compound.

They, however, said they failed to do this because the flames got bigger and they just scampered away.

By this time, the flames had licked the dispenser pump, causing it to explode.

The police said Inez’s body was found in the shower room where he had apparently run for shelter, and Ferrera’s in her office.

Firefighters from the Subic Freeport, Olongapo City and San Marcelino town were called for support as Castillejos firemen had a hard time controlling the blaze.

As of press time, Manzano was still at large.

Authorities said it was fortunate that the gas station was located away from residential areas. — With Ric Sapnu