10 hurt in gas tank explosion in Cebu

CEBU CITY (Updated) -- Residents of Sitio Paglaum in Barangay Calamba, this city, were going about their routine on Thursday afternoon when they heard an explosion.

Seconds later, they saw flames entering their homes. Ten people were hurt after a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank exploded in a junkshop in their neighborhood, with at least one victim in critical condition.

Six houses made of light materials were also damaged when the explosion resulted in a fire, with flames reaching houses located several meters from the junkshop.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Central Visayas received the alarm at 2:55 p.m., shortly after three auto LPG tanks were delivered to the junk shop owned by Joel Ramos.

BURNS. Herminia Timblor, 26, and her seven-year-old son Mico show the burns on their limbs when an auto LPG tank delivered to a junkyard located within their neighborhood in Sitio Paglaum, Barangay Calamba, Cebu City, exploded. SFO2 Emiliano Daño (right photo) checks the tanks when firefighters rushed to the scene. (Allan Defensor)

Of the three tanks, one exploded.

The tank exploded after the junk shop worker, Carlito Tampon, 24, tried to remove its regulator.

The tanks were confiscated by the BFP. Tampon is in critical condition as his entire body was burned during the explosion.

Nine others suffered minor burns. Six of them are children.

The victims were Christian Labiste; Bianca Rama, 8; Kimberly Labistre, 4; Mico Temblor, 7; Angel Montemayor, 5; Gwendolyn Montemayor, 7; Jermalyn Labistre, 5; and Herminia Temblor, 26.

The victims were rushed to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Hospital, but Herminia Temblor and her son Mico decided to go home after complaining that they were not entertained in the hospital.

Herminia and Mico suffered minor burns on their arms and legs, which they treated with a cream to ease the pain.

She said that she was attending to her sari-sari store when she noticed the flames coming toward them.

“We hid in the corner but the fire still caught us,” she said in Bisaya.

SFO2 Emiliano Daño said they have to investigate the incident further and see who will be held liable.

Erlinda Rama, 45, said they were just watching television when the flames reached their house. Her two granddaughters were injured.

We just heard an explosion and the next thing we knew, the flames entered the house, Rama said.

Daño said that as of Thursday, the damage was estimated to be only P1,000, but they have to assess again today, Friday, the extent of the damage.

BFP Central Visayas also has to consolidate their data and check if there were other people injured.

Ramos, the owner of the junk shop, said he was not there when the incident happened. He said his shop usually does not accept gas tanks because these pose danger to the public. (JBT of Sun.Star Cebu)

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