7 hurt in blast at Rizal police provincial office

MANILA, Philippines - Seven people, including a seven-year-old girl, were hurt after explosives at the Rizal Police Provincial Office in Taytay, Rizal went off Monday morning.

Injured during the blast were fire volunteers Elpidio de Asis, Jaime Valencia, Rommel de Rosa; a certain Chief Inspector Apostol, Police Officer 2 Viverio and a still unidentified policeman, and seven-year-old Ronalyn Abrido.

The three fire volunteers, who were rushed to the Rizal PPO after seeing smoke billowing from the Explosive and Ordnance Division building, all sustained wounds in the face and neck while Abrido sustained a wound in the right leg.

The explosion at the EOD building took place at around 6 a.m.

Abrido was on her way to school and was walking near the Rizal PPO in Barangay Dolores, when the explosion took place at 6 a.m.

Senior Superintendent Rolando Anduyan, Rizal PPO director, said that the blast was caused by the grenades of the police office's Special Weapons and Tactics team.

"Yung mga inabot ay mga granada at merong M203 na gamit ng SWAT natin...ina-account namin ngayon kaya 'di muna namin pinapapasok ang mga tao baka magkaroon ng aksidente, magkaroon pa tayo ng casualties,"  Anduyan said.

Rizal PPO officials said inmates at a nearby detention cell inside the compound have been temporarily transferred to another facility.

Reports said the blast totally damaged the EOD building. It also damaged the Rizal PPO's Crime Laboratory and several vehicles.