Investigation disclosed that when Benjie Alcala, an apprentice engineer and one of the fatalities in the explosion, started the ship’s second engine, the air tank that ignites the engine exploded and caused fire which gutted the engine room. Alcala’s body was mutilated, his head blown off and his hands were thrown some 10 meters away from the engine room. Another fatality, oiler Lope Tumanda, was declared dead on arrival at the Ormoc Sugar Planters Association (OSPA) Hospital sustaining a big open wound in his stomach.
Four others, identified as chief engineer Edgar Villagonzalo, second engineer Charlton Ragadio, third engineer Rey Gardoce and apprentice engineer Jun Ariola, were brought to an undisclosed hospital in Cebu City Sunday for treatment of third degree burns in their bodies.
As this developed, a Marine Protest was filed by the captain of the MV Tacloban Princess before the Coast Guard-Ormoc detachment.
Reports showed that shortly before noon Sunday, a strong explosion rocked the MV Tacloban Princess, owned and operated by Sulpicio Lines, while moored at the Ormoc City pier. The explosion was followed by a fire which was put out after about 25 minutes. There were no passengers at the time of the explosion, according to reports.
Bonifacio Pellano, the ship’s oiler who was off duty during the explosion, said the MV Tacloban Princess shook heavily as a result of the explosion. He surmised the safety valve of the air tank was full with air that led to clogging and explosion, adding the spring coil of the air tank could have stocked up. He said he and the other crewmen went down the engine room to rescue their fellow workers but were turned back by thick smoke.
Ship officials said the MV Tacloban Princess would be towed back to Cebu after the investigation. The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) is also conducting its own probe of the incident. The ship was also off limits to members of the media as ship officials claim they are preventing accidents to happen since oil and other debris remain scattered in the dark engine room.
It was also gathered that the MV Tacloban Princess has been operating in the Cebu-Ormoc-Masbate-Manila route for nearly two months only after Sulpicio’s regular ship, the MV Cebu Princess, underwent repair at a Cebu dockyard.