Fire, explosions hit Army armory

MANILA, Philippines - At least 25 people were injured when a series of explosions triggered by a fire struck the armory of the Philippine Army at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City yesterday.

An investigation is still being conducted to determine the cause of the blaze that hit the Explosives and Ordnance (EOD) battalion building of the Army’s Support Command, said Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato, spokesman for the Army.

Detoyato said among those injured were eight soldiers, seven members of the Bureau of Fire Protection and a civilian.

They were hit by debris and shrapnel following a big explosion that came after a series of smaller blasts.

The EOD building was completely destroyed following the explosions.

“I was a few meters away when the fire broke out and caused a loud explosion,” Detoyato told reporters.

The victims were rushed to the nearby Army hospital for treatment.

Five of the victims suffered serious injuries. They were MSgt. Ferdinand Rafal, 1st Lt. Dinar Alosada, who both sustained burns in 80 percent of their bodies; Capt. Julius Gallon, commanding officer of the AFP fire station; Sgt. Romel Septino, and Capt. Rosalino Galla. They were transferred to the V. Luna Hospital in Quezon City.

Senior Fire Officer 2 Pedrito Fulo of the Taguig fire department identified the other victims as Joel Lopez, a volunteer of Barangay Fort Bonifacio Fire Brigade, and Rodolfo Franco, a fireman from Parañaque City.

Witnesses said the explosions were so powerful, prompting other Army units to evacuate the headquarters.

But Detoyato said the bombs stored in the depot are meant for instructional purposes.

“The soldiers use them during training. These are for instructional purposes only,” he said.

The gutted Army facility is located near the headquarters of the Philippine Marines and the Southern Police District.

Reports said the fire broke out at 10:42 a.m. and reached the third alarm before it was placed under control at 11:05 a.m.

Fulo said they have yet to establish the cause of fire.

Meanwhile, Taguig fire marshal Junito Maslang said explosives should not be kept at the EOD battalion building.

Maslang said the bombs are being kept in an ordinary storage facility instead of a concrete bunker.

He said the proximity of the soldiers’ barracks to the armory is a violation of the fire code. Among the explosives stored at the EOD battalion building are land mines and improvised explosive devices.