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 Wednesday's fire reflects poor occupational health and safety
standards that are a challenge for Southeast Asia's fastest growing
nation to tackle, analysts say.
As many as 72 bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of the
two-storey factory, fire official Sergio Soriano Jr. said on radio,
shortly after Rexlon Gatchalian, mayor of Valenzuela city in Manila,
announced a toll of 58, with 13 missing.
Estimates by local government and fire officials have been in
conflict since Wednesday, complicated by the difficulties of
retrieving bodies from the wreckage.
Police said the fire started when sparks from a welding machine set
ablaze flammable chemicals near the main entrance of the factory,
triggering a huge explosion, followed by billows of black smoke and
flames.
"Definitely there will be charges here, because people died," said
Leonardo Espina, acting director of the Philippine National Police.
"Regardless of whether it was an accident or arson, people died. We
are just determining what exactly happened so that we can clearly
define what charges to file."
Arson investigators have gone to the site to help city police in the
probe, he added.
The incident showed President Benigno Aquino's government in poor
light, said Eufracia Taylor, an analyst at global risk analytics
firm Verisk Maplecroft.
"The factory fire is a blow to the Aquino administration, which has
prided itself on improving workplace conditions and prioritizing
compliance with labor standards," Taylor said.
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Factory owner Veato Ang said about 200 to 300 people worked in the
factory, which made flip-flops and slippers for Kentex Manufacturing
Inc.
Identifying the charred remains of victims will be a difficult task,
said Dionesio Candido, whose 19-year-old daughter was among the
factory workers.
"I entered the building because I thought I might still be able to
identify the remains," said Candido, 62.
But he saw four piles of charred bones and skulls, with the victims
appearing to be hugging each other.
"When I saw them, (I felt) any parent or sibling would not be able
to identify the victims," Candido added.
(Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales and Roland Ng; Editing by Clarence
Fernandez)
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