An explosion injured two persons and razed to the ground a makeshift factory of firecrackers and pyrotechnics yesterday in Sitio Kahilwayan, Brgy. Gargato, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental.

Police identified the victims as Jesus de la Torre Botio, 43, and his worker, Cecille Santillan, who suffered second degree burns from the firecracker explosion.

Police Officer 2 Joseph Partidas, Operations Chief of the Hinigaran police station, said initial police investigations showed that the firecracker fuse being cut by Botio and Santillan sparked at about 12:30 p.m. yesterday, and caused the explosion and set the makeshift factory of firecrackers, owned by Botio, on fire.

Partidas said 70 to 80 percent of the bodies of Botio and Santillan were burned.

The two victims are now being treated at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City.

Partidas said the damage was estimated at P550,000.*GPB

back to top