Makati blast accidental, say

November 4, 2007  --  Got something to say?
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Ayala MallMANILA - The Philippine National Police said the explosion that killed 11 and injured more than 100 at Glorietta Mall 2 in Makati city Oct. 19 was caused by reaction of gases from the malls basement. Ayala Corp. however refuted the findings while the United Kingdom said the probe must go on.

The show that everything was back to business, President Arroyo herself visited the Mall and later shopped at Rustans saying its business as usual.

Director Geary Barias, chief of the Metro Manila police office, said post-blast investigators Oct. 23 wrapped up gathering of physical evidence from the seat of the explosion and with due diligence found no traces of bomb components there.

It is only a small percentage, about 5 to 10 percent, that the explosion was caused by a bomb although the bomb theory has not been ruled out because of the traces of RDX (research and development explosive),” Barias told a news conference in Camp Crame.

He said investigators have to find components of an improvised explosive device to support the bomb theory.
It is difficult to sustain the bomb theory at this time, except for the RDX thing,” he added. RDX is a component of the C4 explosive.

Barias said there were actually two explosions. The first was a small one which triggered a much bigger explosion from a 4×8x24-foot diesel tank in the basement.

The blast could have been triggered by sparks from switches, batteries, automatic switches, or the turning on of a fluorescent light bulb.

Barias said the diesel tank was rectangular, which according to petrochemical experts was not the standard shape.
Glorietta opened its doors to Mrs. Arroyo and to the public Oct. 23 despite a temporary closure order from the Makati City Building Office, which wanted further checks on the malls structural integrity.

After meeting with Cabinet and security officials at Malacaang on the progress of the investigation, Mrs. Arroyo proceeded to Glorietta to do some shopping and to emphasize that everything is back to normal after the explosion that left 11 people dead and scores wounded.

At past noon, the President went to the nearby Rustans department store where she spent a little over half an hour shopping.

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Posted by News Team | Filed Under Philippine News 

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