THE body of an electrician was recovered from the T.P. Marcelo Ice Plant and Cold Storage in Navotas City on Thursday morning, February 4, 2021, bringing the death toll from the ammonia leak to two.
Vonne Villanueva, head of the Navotas City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said the body of 54-year-old Joselito Hazareno was found during an inspection Thursday.
Hazareno worked as an electrician at the ice plant.
“(Natagpuan siya) Malapit sa mismong kung saan nagkaroon ng leak pero hindi sa gitna, nakasingit sa isang gilid na parang nagtago kaya kagabi nung nag-inspect ang BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection) at pulis hindi siya nakita, ngayon lang nakita nung maliwanag na at nawala na ang masangsang na amoy,” Villanueva said in an interview.
Earlier, authorities recovered the body of Gilbert Tiangco, 44, who was also an employee at the plant.
Villanueva said 95 people were brought to hospitals. Three are in serious condition at the Philippine General Hospital. The others were waiting to be released Thursday.
He said the people who were evacuated shortly after the leak at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday were allowed to return home at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.
The ice plant, however, remained closed. Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) personnel were still in the area to conduct an investigation.
“Overall po ang ating lugar lalong lalo na sa residential area ay normal na ang level ng hangin, nakabalik na sila. Yung planta nakasarado ngayon. Nandoon ang Soco at BFP. Tuloy ang investigation,” Villanueva said.
Residents of the North Bay Boulevard South, where the plant is located, complained that they had to spend the night on a side street.
Most complained of headache and sore throat. There were reports of a stampede as panicked residents scampered for safety. There is only one entrance and exit point in the community.
Mayor Toby Tiangco said he wanted to help his constituents, but he cannot use government funds for a private purpose.
"Hindi naman po sa ayaw ng lokal na pamahalaan na tumulong kaya lang itong pangyayaring ito ay posed by a private company na nagkataon ay pamilya ko. So pangit naman na gastusin ang pera ng gobyerno dahil ang pinsala ay nanggaling sa kumpanya na pag-aari ng pamilya ng nanay ko so they will have to pay for everything," Tiangco said.
The ice plant is owned by the family of the mayor’s mother. (SunStar Philippines)