Post blast probe at Glorietta 2 ends, indicators point to gas explosion

By Ronron
October 23, 2007

The post blast investigation on the October 19 deadly incident at Glorietta 2 mall in Makati City was already completed on Monday and the initial findings point to gas explosion rather than bombing, officials said Tuesday.

According to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias, spokesman of the Glorietta 2 blast Multi-Agency Investigation Task Force, no trace of components of an improvised explosive device (IED) and no crater was found at the site by bomb experts and scene of the crime operatives.

Also, the RDX substance that was found at the ground level of Glorietta 2 on Friday night were absent at the basement of the mall, which is believed to be the seat of explosion.

“What I can say is it is very difficult to support the theory of a bomb in the absence of two critical things that they need to find out, which are the parts of the bomb or the bomb itself, and the crater that should show signs of any explosion if a bomb was really used,” Barias said.

“So, accidental explosion is the direction now of the investigation,” he added.

Supporting this angle, Barias said, are the statement of a maintenance personnel at Glorietta 2 that there is not enough ventilation at the basement that will facilitate air circulation.

Secondly, the diesel tank itself located at the basement, according to petrochemical experts, did not follow the standard cylindrical structure of a gas container.

“What we saw there was a rectangular diesel tank that might have contributed to the explosion,” Barias said.

Barias said some other “quantitative debris” gathered from the blast site are already undergoing chemical tests “to establish the presence of any relative components that will trigger the explosion.”

He said post blast investigators were initially looking for traces of switch or trigger, power source like battery, initiators like blasting caps, casing and compartment like a box, and explosives (main charge) to prove that a bomb was indeed used.

“The task force is still waiting for the technical opinion of some experienced mechanical engineers of reputable private companies, as well as experts from the Department of Energy, to find out the possible cause of explosion,” Barias said.

Chief Supt. Luizo Ticman, head of the Southern Police District and the investigation task force, said it is likely that the explosion came from the diesel tank based on its post-blast appearance.

The first possibility is the diesel fumes mixed up with methane gas that came from the sewage system within the same area. An investigator from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said methane gas explodes on its own if five parts of it mixes with 100 parts of other types of gas or air.

Had there been ventilation inside the basement, the gas would not have compacted or pressurized or heated up, avoiding an explosion, said Supt. Fennimore Jaudian, chief of the DILG Inter-Agency Task Force.

Second theory is a spark from possible sources of ignition inside the basement caused the blast. Ticman enumerated the following as possible sources of ignition: open switcher, motor, and batteries.

“Why we are pursuing the gas explosion theory? First is the upward rupture and damage on the diesel tank. Second is the concave concrete slab directly above the diesel tank. Third is the presence of septic tanks and waste-water treatment facility that produce methane. Fourth, the ventilation is not functioning and there is no exhaust system, giving rise to temperature and accumulation of diesel vapor or fumes. Fifth, the presence of open switches, motor pumps, batteries and other possible igniter. And sixth, the vent of explosion clearly show a strong upward push, which characterizes gas explosion,” Ticman explained.

Barias, Ticman and Jaudian all stressed that it is possible for gas explosion to happen without causing fire to any facility, citing an incident in Cebu early this year.

Asked for the liability therefore of the operator of the basement if indeed the blast came there accidentally, Barias said they could be charged for negligence resulting in multiple homicide and multiple frustrated homicide.

But as to who these people are, Barias said they have yet to ascertain since Ayala Corporation, which runs Glorietta 2, initially denied in several media interviews having jurisdiction over the basement.

“The explanation of some architects and engineers there is that it was not yet Gorietta at that time when the basement was constructed. That was supposed to be Makati Supermarket. When Ayala consolidated all of these buildings, and in fact the diesel tank was outside, they sort of just covered that when Ayala started the construction. That was I think in 1992,” Barias said.

“So the subject of the investigation now also is to establish who has responsibility over that place,” he added.

Nonetheless, he said criminal and civil liabilities are “necessary and logical consequences to the investigation.”

Asked when they could possibly close their investigation, Barias said: “Hopefully, we are optimistic that in the earliest possible time, in the next 24 hours probably, we can already end this investigation.”/DMS