Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17) — Two persons were killed in a fire that razed three vehicles parked at a bus terminal in Barangay Calumpang, Marikina City, fire authorities reported on Sunday.
Five people at the BFCT Terminal were also injured, the Bureau of Fire Protection said.
The multi-vehicle fire lasted for at least 30 minutes and reached first alarm. Authorities declared the fire out at 9:44 a.m.
Fire investigators reported that the fire started on board the truck which had a cargo of firecrackers. It eventually spread and burned two other vehicles — a bus and a van.
“Sad to hear na ‘yung in-charge — ‘yung parang driver na nagma-manage ng cargo ay kasama sa nasunog at ang kanyang pahinante ay nasunog rin while they are preparing ‘yung mga cargo sa kanilang truck,” Eastern Police District Director PBGen Wilson Asueta told reporters.
[Translation: Sad to hear that the one in charge — the driver who also manages the cargo was among the victims of the fire and his assistant was also burned while they were preparing the cargo in their truck.]
Asueta added that the cargo truck did not have a permit to transport firecrackers.
“I think wala itong permit. Itinago lang nila sa loob ng truck [‘yung firecrackers] na alam naman nila na ang mga kasamang cargos ay mga combustible materials. Ito ay mga tela, mga cardboard, may makina pa sa loob,” Asueta said.
[Translation: I don’t think they have a permit. They just hid the firecrackers inside the truck with combustible materials. There were materials made of cloth, cardboard, there was even an engine inside.]
Asueta said fuel from the stowed engine may have sparked the fire.
“Hindi nila ito pinag-isipan. Bawal ito. We are very lucky na hindi na nangyari while on road or somewhere else na on travel na maraming tao,” Asueta added.
[Translation: They did not think this through. This is illegal. We’ re very lucky this did not happen on the road or somewhere where there are many people.]
The authorities said they still do not know who owns the truck.
Asueta said the truck came from Taytay, Rizal and was only on a pit stop at the Marikina terminal.
A biker passing by the scene said he heard loud blasts from the terminal, describing them as those coming from firecrackers.
\”Pag-akyat namin sa bridge na ito, nagsasabugan na,\” biker Ariel Maraño said. \”Panay firecrackers na umaangat, akala mo bagong taon.\”
[Translation: When we reached this bridge, it was already exploding…Firecrackers were shooting up, you would think it was new year’s day already.]
