Explosion injures 6, wrecks 5-story building in Malabon

Newly installed Northern Police District (NPD) director Chief Supt. Rodolfo Magtibay ordered a full-blown investigation into an explosion inside a paper factory at dawn yesterday in Malabon City.

Magtibay directly instructed local police chief Senior Supt. Roberto Villanueva to check what really caused the blast that took place around 3 a.m. inside one of the buildings of Globe Paper Mills on Gov. Pascual Avenue, Barangay Potrero.

Six workers, who were hit by metal splinters, were injured. Four of the injured were identified as Oscar Moldes, 35; Elmer Blancha, 44; Lolita Saycon, 40, and Mario Abay, 54. Except for Abay, who was released from MCU Hospital after treatment, the others were still under observation at the same hospital. The other two victims remained unidentified at press time.

Magtibay, just days in office after taking over the place vacated by Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao Jr. who was named Region 6 (Western Visayas) police director, said members of NPD’s bomb and explosion unit were dispatched to the area to determine what triggered the explosion and secure the factory at the same time as police conduct an extensive investigation.

“Anti-bomb squad agents were immediately deployed in the area to secure the factory and more importantly the workers inside,” according to the Magtibay whose last assignment before NPD was at the Manila Police District.

Reports said factory owners, brothers James and Peter both surnamed Yu, were not in the factory when the incident occurred.

Initial investigation showed that prior to the blast several workers, including the victims, were busy working inside when an explosion near drums of chemicals went off, almost destroying the whole five-story building. The concrete fence of an adjoining structure of Lucky Blue Design Corp. was also destroyed in the process, probers said. –Arlie O. Calalo
with a report from Gina Elorde, Daily Tribune