Tondo blast leaves 4 injured; police rule out bomb, blame air conditioner compressor

• Four individuals were injured in an explosion on Tayuman and Dagupan Streets in Tondo, Manila

• The blast was caused by a dismantled air-conditioning compressor that was being scavenged

• One of the victims sustained a severed hand and another suffered a jaw injury, while two others had minor injuries

• The Manila Police District's Explosive Ordnance Division and Scene of the Crime Operatives are investigating the incident and have ruled out a bomb as the cause

An explosion on a busy Tondo street on Sunday afternoon, August 3, left four individuals injured and highlighted the dangers of improperly handling discarded appliances.

According to reports from the Manila Police District (MPD), the incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of Tayuman and Dagupan Streets, near the railroad tracks.

The blast was reportedly caused by a dismantled air-conditioning compressor that was being scavenged by a group of men.

A tricycle driver who witnessed the event told ABS-CBN News that the victims, who had arrived at the location around 9 a.m., were trying to forcibly open the compressor.

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"They were hitting it with something because they are fond of dismantling things that way," the witness said, adding that "it suddenly exploded."

Emergency responders from the Bureau of Fire Protection and local rescue units quickly arrived at the scene.

Initial reports from firefighter-paramedic Jam Mariano detailed the severity of the injuries sustained by the four victims, all of whom were male.

One person suffered a severe hand injury, with one report stating a hand was severed, while another had a jaw injury.

The two other victims had minor injuries to various parts of their bodies. They were immediately transported to nearby medical facilities, with two victims taken to Tondo General Hospital and the others to Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center.

The extent of their injuries beyond the initial assessment has not been officially released, nor have the victims' identities been made public.

The MPD’s Explosive Ordnance Division (EOD) and Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) secured the site for further investigation.

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An investigator from MPD Station 2, PSSG Kervin Laiz, confirmed that the crime scene was still being processed to determine the exact cause of the explosion.

Authorities also clarified that there was no indication the blast was caused by a bomb, dispelling initial fears of a more sinister motive.

This incident serves as a stark warning about the hazardous nature of improperly dismantling appliances like air-conditioners and refrigerators.

These units contain pressurized refrigerants, such as Freon, which can cause violent explosions if the container is breached without proper safety measures.

The case underscores the critical importance of public awareness regarding the handling of such materials and the potential for serious harm. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances of the accident and whether any protocols or safety measures were violated.

News, photos, or videos that arouse the interest of netizens would often go viral on social media, due to the attention netizens give them. These viral posts appeal to the emotions of netizens, and in rare cases, this could also happen to ordinary people, making them very relatable stories that people could easily understand and relate in their lives.

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In other news, police authorities have stated there is no evidence yet connecting the bones found in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, to the case of the missing cockfighting enthusiasts. The remains, which include "clean" human skulls, were discovered in a sealed box near a daycare center on July 13. The skulls have been submitted to a crime laboratory for forensic examination and DNA testing to identify the victims. This discovery is a separate investigation from the main sabungeros case, which has seen recent developments with the arrest of new suspects and the filing of new complaints.

Still in other news, a laborer named Lloyd, 26, was fatally stabbed by his brother-in-law Anton, 33, during an altercation in Barangay Salong, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental. The suspect allegedly stabbed the victim multiple times with a kitchen knife after a misunderstanding escalated at their home. Anton surrendered to barangay officials and handed over the weapon used in the incident; authorities are verifying if he was under the influence of illegal dr&gs. The victim’s family plans to file murder charges against the suspect as police continue a thorough investigation into the case.

Source: KAMI.com.gh