Fire hits police camp in Iloilo

MANILA, Philippines - A fire and resulting explosions destroyed several facilities of a police camp in Iloilo, leaving one Army officer injured.

Police reports said the incident happened at around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday inside Camp Delgado, the headquarters of the Police Regional Office Western Visayas.  

Captain Noel Frias, chief of the Explosive Ordnance Division (EOD), suffered second degree burns and is now confined in a nearby hospital. He is now in stable condition.

Police Regional Office Western Visayas director Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said the fire started at the EOD office and triggered an explosion, obstructing attempts by security forces to control the situation.

The fire razed the EOD of the Army Support Command, the Engineering Division, Firearms and Explosives Unit, Security Agencies and Guards Unit, the regional police Band, and the Civil Security Group Satellite.

The explosion also damaged the Regional Logistics and Research Development Division, the Retirement and Benefits Administration Service, and the Communication Electronic System of the Armed Forces inside the Camp.

The Regional Police Community Relations Division, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the pre-school and learning center, the motor pool, and the community toilet were also damaged by the blast.

The police are still investigating the extent of damage left by the fire, and if there was anyone liable for the incident.

“Even the firearms confiscated from the start of the election gun ban, and the weapons of the security guards were devoured by the fire,” Cruz said.

Several vehicles were also damaged namely a a blue multicab, a white van, a white Nissan vehicle, a maroon Honda Exi, a Honda motorcycle 100cc, an owner type jeep and an M35 Truck.

The police chief noted that bombs and other explosives should be kept away from populated areas and remote camps to avoid any similar incidents in the future. – Bjorn Beltran