1 dead, 52 injured in Bulacan church collapse on Ash Wednesday

MANILA, Philippines — Dozens of churchgoers attending Wednesday morning mass at St. Peter Apostle Parish Church in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, suffered injuries, with one fatality, following the collapse of a section of its second floor.

Based on the report of City of San Jose del Monte Public Information Office, 52 individuals sustained injuries in the incident, and there is one recorded fatality.

An 80-year-old woman, who suffered blunt force trauma in the incident, did not survive. She was in critical condition upon arrival at the hospital, as reported by Super Radyo DZBB.

The San Jose del Monte PIO said that a part of the church’s second floor collapsed at 7 a.m. when the churchgoers flocked the parish for Ash Wednesday mass.

Witnesses claimed that they heard some churchgoers screaming before the floor collapsed.

On Ash Wednesday, Catholics gather at their local churches to receive the cross-shaped ashes on their foreheads, symbolizing the commencement of the Lenten season.

As of 9:35 a.m., the PIO said that the victims of the collapse were immediately brought to the hospital.

Below is the number of people involved in the accident who were brought to several hospitals in Bulacan, according to San Jose del Monte PIO:

• Ospital ng Lungsod ng San Jose del Monte - 24
• Tala Hospital - 9 
• Brigino General Hospital - 5
• Skyline Hospital - 3
• Labpro Diagnostic Center - 2
• Grace General Hospital - 1

Following the incident, St. Peter Apostle Parish Church announced the cancellation of subsequent masses, complying with the directive of San Jose del Monte Mayor Arthur Robes, who ordered a halt to masses until the building undergoes assessment by city officials.

As of writing, clearing operations in Barangay Tungkong Mangga where the parish is located is ongoing.