Ten sustain burns after stove explodes

CEBU, Philippines - Ten people including two children were rushed to the hospital after they sustained burns when a gas stove of an eatery in Lapu-Lapu City exploded yesterday morning.

The eatery is located at the public market in Barangay Poblacion and the victims were eating porridge when the explosion occured. 

Jerson Acosta, 27; his two children ages three and five; Francis Joy Vito, 27; Romeo Abracion, 57; Pablito Vidal Jr., 23; Jojo Casia, 22; couple Joselito and Liezel Perez, 42 and 49; Joy Fortes, 18; and the eatery’s cook identified as Johny were all brought to the hospital by personnel of the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF). They sustained burns on different parts of their bodies.

FO3 Climaco Salisid of the Lapu-Lapu City Fire Central Department said the cook suffered severe burns while the other victims suffered mild to second degree burns when a big cauldron filled with porridge flew into the air when the gas stove exploded, the hot porridge strewn to the eating customers.

Salisid said that based on the victims’ accounts, they have smelled kerosene even before the explosion but they just did not mind it.

Salisid said further investigation will be undertaken and it is possible that the owner of the eatery will be held responsible for what happened. (FREEMAN)