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3 killed in firecracker-related fire in GenSan |
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by Allen V Estabillo/MindaNews
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Friday, 25 December 2009 19:19 |
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / December 25) – Three persons were killed while two others were injured when an wayward firework caught fire and triggered a powerful explosion in a row of firecracker and pyrotechnics stalls at the city’s oval plaza several minutes after midnight.
Senior Fire Officer 2 Ramon Simugan, operations officer of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) station here, said the explosion at around 12:30 a.m. swept at least 21 stalls of firecrackers and pyrotechnics set up at a portion of the oval plaza here where several local residents gathered for the Christmas revelry.
He said severalvideoke and other entertainment stalls near the area also caught fire, which BFP personnel declared at first alarm.
Due to the extent of the explosion, two persons – a still unidentified man and a woman – were killed on the spot while another victim later expired at the St. Elizabeth Hospital here.
The third victim, who suffered major burns on the head and body, was identified as Arlene Arnaiz, 29, a resident of Barangay Fatima in this city.
The injured victims were identified as eight-year-old Jomarie Panguntungan, who suffered minor injuries, and Luther Rison, 42, who sustained serious head injuries.
Simugan said their initial investigation showed that the incident was reportedly caused by a fountain firework that was lighted by a still unidentified man near a firecracker and pyrotechnic stall.
He said the flames immediately spread to other stalls and caused the displayed firecrackers and pyrotechnics materials to explode.
Simugan said police investigators are now determining the identity of the person who lighted the firework for the filing of appropriate charges. (Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews) |
