19 hurt in Zamboanga firecrackers, pyrotechnics disposal accident

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Nineteen in a group of police bomb experts, firemen and personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Marines were hurt in an accidental blast of pyrotechnics and firecrackers they were to dispose in an open field in Barangay Cabatangan in Zamboanga City on Monday afternoon.

Barangay officials and investigators from the Zamboanga City Police Office have a common theory that the team miscalculated the potential blast strength of the merchandise they were supposed to dispose of safely in the firing range of the Philippine Marines in Purok 2 in Barangay Cabatangan.

Barangay officials had told reporters that they have requested the bomb experts involved in the operation to gradually destroy the firecrackers and pyrotechnics using incendiary materials before the powerful explosion reverberated through the scene.

The Zamboanga CPO and barangay officials stated in initial reports that six police bomb disposal experts, three PCG members, five personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection and five Marine servicemen were hurt in the incident.

Responding personnel of the Zamboanga City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office immediately provided first aid to the victims and brought to hospitals those hurt badly in the explosion.