2 dead as hut full of firecracker materials catches fire
Arson investigators and rescue
volunteers look at the burned body of
Leah Mesa who was one of the
casualties in the fire which razed five
huts used for making firecrackers in
Brgy. San Jose, Arevalo last Monday
evening.
A.Chris Fernandez photo
Two persons were killed instantly after a hut used for making firecrakers in Brgy. San Jose, Arevalo district caught fire causing a huge explosion.
The explosion caused fire and totally razed five huts used for making firecrackers and pyrotechnics.
The fatalities were identified as Leah Mesa and Roberto Acudile, all of legal age. They suffered burns on the different parts of their bodies which caused their death. They were inside the huts when the fire occurred.
Reportedly, Mesa was already able to escape from the burning hut but went back because of her cellular phone. She was trapped inside the hut. While, Acudile allegedly suffered from a heart attack after he saw the fire.
The area which is far from residential houses is the barangay's designated place for the making of firecrackers and pyrotechnics.
Arevalo district is considered the firecracker capital of the city.
Witnesses said the fire emanated from the hut owned by Patrick Anatan. At first, the saw a small running flame and heard an explosion. The explosion was so loud before they saw a fire coming from the hut.
Senior Inspector Federico Silvestre, Arevalo police station chief said fire quickly spread in makeshift huts owned by Armand Belosillo, Audie Jabian, Joven Callado and Nelson Marcellana. Callado is the live-in partner of Mesa. A nearby house owned by Francisco Wendam was partly burned.
The burned huts were far from the residential area. The same reason why no house was included in last Monday's evening fire. The huts were located near the river bank.
Silvestre said all the fire victims have no permit to engage in the firecrackers business. They formed a cooperative purposely to hasten the approval of their application. Prior to the fire incident, Silvestre met with all the firecracker manufacturers.
Illegal production continued in Arevalo and even tolerated by the local government in the spirit of Christmas. This is to give the residents additional income for the holiday season.
Firecrackers are fireworks that are contained in paper cylinders that are discharged to make noise. Fireworks, on the other hand, are intimate mixtures of finely powdered fuel and oxidants which, when ignited, explode violently or burn steadily as required.