Gas leak at Navotas ice plant: 5 hospitalized

A gas leak attributed to simple negligence by a maintenance staff of an ice plant caused injuries to himself and four other employees and sent residents of nearby barangays rushing out of their homes in panic after hearing reports from the radio yesterday in Navotas.

Roberto "Bobby" del Rosario, general manager of the Irma Fishing and Trading Co. (IFTC) on C-4 Road, Navotas, in a media briefing at the company offices yesterday, identified the injured workers as Vic Marijun, an oiler and the most seriously injured; Achilles Hilasque; Romy Angeles; Ferdinand Lim; and Aniano Garque.

The IFTC owns and operates the Genesis Ice Plant at the Navotas Fishport Complex.

Navotas authorities said several residents of North Bay Boulevard South and Isla Puting Bato at the Navotas-Manila boundary were alarmed after inhaling the gas that leaked from the ice plant, sending them out of their houses in fear and panic.

Del Rosario said Marijun, who has been with the company for nine years, faces dismissal for the incident.

He added that this is without prejudice to the obligation of the company to defray his hospital and medical expenses.

Del Rosario sought to allay fears the gas leak may be fatal, saying ammonia was just a minor irritant.

"The gas by itself is not harmful and is a universal gas, a common thing in households. Hindi naman ito nakamamatay," Del Rosario said.

The official said that ammonia, like freon, is a gas component in any air-conditioning system now commonly used.

"If this were harmful, marami na sana ang namatay because of the leaks in air conditioners," said del Rosario.

Marijun, who sustained second degree burns in most parts of his body, was taken initially to the Martinez Hospital. He was later transferred and now confined at the Tondo Medical Center.

The other four are currently under observation, hospital authorities said.

In an inter-office memo, a copy of which was obtained by The STAR, Del Rosario said the incident happened at 8:37 a.m. yesterday at the ice plant’s machine room.

The executive said Marijun was instructed by his supervisor to replace the oil on Genesis’ pre-cooling compressor when the gas leak occurred.

He described the compressor as having an oil cooler on one side and a high pressure ammonia on another side that served as coolant.

Marijun, however, mistakenly opened the ammonia plug instead of the plug on the oil side. The high pressure ammonia hit him squarely in the upper body causing severe burns.

The sudden release of the pressurized gas caused a muffled explosion even as the ammonia’s pungent odor dissipated out of the room and into the immediate surroundings.

Other Genesis employees came to the rescue of those who inhaled the gas and brought them to the nearest hospital for treatment.

At around 12:05 p.m., a rescue team from the NCR fire bureau was allowed entry into the ice plant, where several employees were still inside.

After less than 20 minutes, the rescue team came out, saying the ice plant employees were safe as they were also wearing protective gear such as gas masks. The leak was already contained.