Fire blasts 26 firecracker stalls near fire station in Leyte town

KANANGA, LEYTE ,Philippines  – Residents of this town had an early New Year’s Eve revelry after 26 makeshift stalls in front of the fire station here, all selling firecrackers and pyrotechnics, popped, whistled and exploded at around 2 p.m. last December 31, hours before New Year’s Eve.

Initial report gathered stated that a careless customer lit a Whistle Bomb near the stalls and this allegedly ignited the blasts and the fire.

Senior Insp. Jose Yap, the town police’s chief, however said investigation showed that an unidentified customer reportedly threw a lighted cigarette butt that landed on one of the stall’s displays, triggering the explosions and the fire.

One female shopper was reported to have suffered minor scrapes when she fell down while trying to run away from the scene.

The vendors, reportedly Muslims, reported an estimated total loss of P571,000.

Residents, on the other hand, said they thought there was gunfight going on at the public market when the firecrackers started exploding. Stall owners at the public market nearby added that they had to keep close watch on their stores lest some of the firecrackers, like “kwitis,” would land inside.

The town’s fire department was quick to respond though, and the fire was put out an hour after.

Mayor Elmer Codilla later told The FREEMAN that he deliberately put the vendors just in front of the fire station in anticipation of accidents.

This was the reason why the town did not suffer much damage, to its infrastructure or the public market, because the makeshift stalls were put up at a safe distance from other establishments and only for the duration of the holidays, he said.