|
Thursday, January 09, 2003
NegOr marked peaceful New Year
By Victor L. Camion
THE Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Police in the province said the celebration of New Year's Eve in Negros Oriental was peaceful.
BFP Provincial Director Chief Insp. Victor Vibares told Sun.Star the celebration was peaceful in terms of "very few" fire incidents compared to that of last year.
Vibares did not cite figures, but mentioned only one incident resulting from a wayward firecracker that burned a sugarcane plantation in Barangay San Antonio, Sibulan town that left an estimated damage of P7,000.
The fire chief attributed the situation to the massive information drive by different agencies against the improper use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics for the minimal number of fire incidents not only in Negros Oriental but also throughout the country.
PNP Assistant Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Diomedes Sombilon, in a separate interview said the casualties this year went down dramatically compared to that of last year also.
The PNP here has initially recorded five cases of slightly injured victims of firecrackers, one in Guihulngan and four others in Tanjay City.
In Guihulngan, businessman Edgar Alipan of Sitio Nagkalhin, Barangay Poblacion had a finger removed after it was injured by a firecracker explosion.
In Tanjay, four landed for treatment of minor explosion at a private Medical Clinic owned by Dr. Jovencio Bumanlag.
Dr. Ely Villapando, provincial chief of the Integrated Provincial Health Office told Sun.Star that s child was killed by fumes emitted from a bamboo cannon traditionally used to welcome New Year's day.
Eight-year-old Art Ib-ib of Barangay Siapo, San Jose was declared dead on arrival at the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital because of "Respiratory Arrest Secondary to Smoke Inhalation."
The victim was reportedly watching his relatives and some neighbors firing a home made bamboo canon to celebrate New Year's eve on December 31 when the smoke backfired and hit the boy on the face.
The boy fell unconscious and was rushed to NOPH where he was already dead.
On January 1, a two-year-old boy was admitted at Holy Child Hospital for firecracker injuries.
The victim's brother said Joey Lacida, of Lower Batinguel, Dumaguete City was playing at the house backyard when a defective firecracker ignited by a 12-year-old neighbor failed to take off and rushed out hitting the infant.
Dr. Villapando said there could be other cases that have not been reported so far.
The IPHO chief said his office was still awaiting reports from Holy Child Hospital, Silliman University Medical Centre and the districts hospitals throughout the province.
(January 7, 2003 issue)
Want Sun.Star news on your mobile phone? Click here. |
|
[ return
to top ]
[ home
]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
