By Miriam G. Desacada
Tacloban City–A motor banca, transporting containers of flammable fuel to a coastal barangay in Leyte province, caught fire and exploded at around 3:46 p.m. April 25 (Wednesday) mid-sea off the coast of Naval, Biliran, its origin.
Naval PNP Chief of Police, P/Major Chamberline Ludevise, in his report to the Police Regional Office-8, stated that the motor banca—named “Jian” with Registration (SSEN) Number EV-ELE-042123-016288—had two persons on board, the 38-year-old owner Anthony Servallos, and his helper Danny Boy Macapinig, 26, both residents of Barangay Agas in Calubian, Leyte.
Ludevise said his command got the information of the incident at about 10:15 p.m., or about six hours after, about the conflagration that occurred at sea. He then dispatched his men to the Coast Guard (CG)-Naval Substation located at the Philippine Port Authority (PPA) for validation.
The Naval Police got this incident details from Seaman First Class (SN1) Daang of the CG-Naval: the motor banca (or pump boat) was transporting—allegedly for personal consumption—100 liters of gasoline and 20 liters of diesel from Bernardes Village 1 at Barangay Atipolo in Naval, Biliran and was on its way to Brgy. Agas in Calubian, Leyte when the fire and blast happened.
Online sources said gasoline is classified as flammable, while diesel is combustible. Both are very hazardous if not properly handled, one circumstance of which occurred in that boat that caused the fire.
Daang said that, while the boat was cruising the waters towards Leyte, the container filled with gasoline accidentally fell on the engine of the boat, causing the fire and the blast that shattered the boat into a half-submerged piece of the boat’s wooden hull.
Just in time of the fire and blast, the two persons on board were able to jump into the waters. Eventually, they were rescued by personnel of the Naval LGU, who were at the time near the incident and saw the fire, while they were testing the LGU’s newly acquired tourism boat.
The CG operatives also came to inspect the area of incident for possible oil spill but there was none. However, it issued to the boat owner an Enforcement Inspection Apprehension Report for violation of PCG MC No. 02-96, known as “Carriage of Dangerous Goods.”
The Coast Guard, as yet, released the owner and his helper allowing them to return to their respective residence. —Miriam G. Desacada