Sunday, March 02, 2008 6 burned as LPG tanker bursts
SIX persons were burned after a liquefied petroleum tanker caught fire and nearly exploded along Kisad Road late Saturday morning.
If the fire was not put out in time, witnesses said, the area between the Baguio General Hospital flyover and the Baguio Athletic Bowl, along with houses and vehicles within the immediate area, could have gone up in flames.
Jovencio Marquez, Baguio Fire Station (BFS) marshal, identified three of those seriously injured in the vehicular fire as Rosalie Calibgus, Jonathan Pasion, and Rodrigo Halog Salango.
Three others, who were not included in the BFS report, were identified as Juanito Uy, his son Samuel, and daughter Jasmine Joy.
According to the BFS, the elder Uy was nowhere to be found, when they responded to the area.
Initial investigation disclosed that the tanker came from a depot in Bataan and was delivering its haul to an LPG refilling station in Caponga, Tublay, Benguet, when fire broke out in its passenger area at 11:20 a.m. Saturday.
Benguet Gas Corporation owns the 18-wheeler LPG tanker that bears license plate UKN-956.
According to Marquez, their personnel were able to put out the fire completely, with the help of personnel of R&R water delivery who were passing the area at the time, within 10 minutes.
All burned victims were rushed immediately to the BGH emergency ward.
Pasion and his companions could not be interviewed right away as they were reportedly still in a state of shock.
Marquez said although the damage had already been estimated to reach P50,000, the cause of the fire was still under investigation. (ENO)
