Army vows transparent probe into Cagayan de Oro ammo dump fire

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – Military authorities vowed a “transparent” probe into the fire that triggered a series of powerful explosions at the ammunition dump of Camp Evangelista in the wee hours of Tuesday, July 12.

Army chief Lieutenant General Romeo Brawner told a news conference in Cagayan de Oro that the investigation would have to be conducted carefully and in phases due to safety concerns.

At first glance, Brawner said, all the safety procedures at the ammunition dump were sufficient, but a thorough investigation still needed to be done.

“We will be looking if there were lapses in the implementation of the safety procedures,” Brawner said.

He said the Army’s Board of Inquiry will start looking into the fire incident on Wednesday.

Brawner promised that the investigation would be transparent and that the results would be known to the city government.

“We want this to be transparent, and so, we will be inviting other stakeholders to the BOI, including the BFP, the PNP, the local government units, including the barangays,” he said.

Brawner said damages to nearby establishments were relatively minimal, attributing it to the ammunition dump’s location.

Major General Wilbur Mamawag, 4th ID commander, said the BFP had given the burned ammunition dump a fire safety clearance in March.

The ammunition dump, one of 10 magazine bunkers under the 10th Forward Service Support Unit, is in a sparsely located section of the Army camp.

Chemical reaction?

Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Sta. Maria, commander of the Army’s 10th Forward Service Support Unit, said on Tuesday afternoon that an explosive ordnance disposal team would need at least seven days to collect and recover the unexploded ammunition.

“From today (July 12), there will be a 24-hour soaking and cooling period. There was a fire and this needs to be cooled first before our EOD experts can come in,” Sta. Maria said.

The military asked experts from the police and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to help in the initial investigation, but they can only come in after the area has been cleared.

Military authorities theorized that a chemical reaction sparked the fire.

“If gunpowder is exposed in a certain environment, it may result in a chemical reaction and instability,” said Sta. Maria on Tuesday afternoon.

The fire at Magazine No. 5 inside Camp Evangelista’s ammo complex started the powerful explosions and sent huge fireballs to the sky past midnight Tuesday. The military said thousands of rounds of ammunition were stored inside it.

Sta. Maria said the theory was based on the statements given by soldiers who first saw the first explosions.

The fire destroyed an estimated P27 million in Army property, caused evacuations, and resulted in injuries.

The 4th Infantry Division said three civilian residents at the camp – Reynard Quirweca, Acolbay Escalante, and 15-year-old Curt Angelo Cuizon – suffered minor injuries.

The military said it also counted 327 people or 61 families who fled from their homes to seek shelter in the Camp Evangelista gym following the start of the series of thunderous explosions.

Officials said another 100 families evacuated to a public facility owned by Barangay Patag.

Magazine No. 5 stored 155-mm howitzer rounds and other ammunition for military units under the 4th ID.

Officials cordoned off the burned ammunition dump and declared areas within a 500-meter radius off-limits to the public due to safety concerns, saying the clearing operations in the aftermath of the fire and explosions could take days or even weeks to complete. – Rappler.com