Glorietta Explosion Caused by Gas Build-up
A team of Australian experts say that the huge blast which rocked the Glorietta mall last month was a gas explosion. No traces of bomb parts were found at the scene. An independent team from the FBI also determined that the blast was not caused by an explosive device.
The findings indicate that there was a build-up of diesel fumes and methane gas, from a malfunctioning sewage pump in the basement of the mall. However, the details of exactly how the explosion occurred are still being investigated.
They (Australian team) noted that the lid of the diesel fuel tank, located at the basement, was “lifting upwards…suggesting a pressure build-up within the tank; that the damage penetrated from the inside-out, approximately 15 centimeters wide on the top section of the tank; no apparent strike marks or inward buckling to the tank; but there was insufficient damage to the tank to indicate it as being the source of the explosion.
“It is possible that the ignition source was remote from the area of greatest fuel build-up. From the detailed scene examination, physical evidence, blast damage effects, and background information provided, it appears the explosion has occurred in the basement of Glorietta 2 as a result of an explosive fuel-air mixture being initiated by unknown means,” the report also showed.
These findings are consistent with the initial investigations of the Philippine National Police.
via Inquirer
Tags: Glorietta blast, Glorietta mall, mall blast
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