Elderly man, young girl hurt in strong blast in Tondo, Manila

An elderly man and a girl sustained minor wounds following an explosion in Tondo, Manila during the New Year revelry on Thursday, with the blast also causing damage to houses in the area.

According to Ian Cruz’s report in “24 Oras” on Thursday, residents of Narra Steet in Barangay 227 were celebrating to usher in 2026 when two successive explosions happened at 12:12 a.m. 

The loud, happy music was replaced with beeping car horns and screams for help, which was followed by another loud explosion.

Three houses suffered damages due to the blast, as shown in the houses’ shattered glass windows and broken walls and screen doors.

One of the homeowners noticed a firecracker that was unignited and left on top of a parked tricycle. 

“Pagka-putok, nandiyan na ‘yan, hindi siguro nasindihan, tumakbo. Pero malamang mas malaki pa ‘yung pinaputok diyan. Biro mo ang lakas,” said Joseph Palma, who suffered a small wound on his leg due to debris.

(After the blast, it was just sitting there, it wasn’t ignited probably, and [the person] ran away. But more likely, what was actually detonated there was much bigger. Just imagine how strong it was.)

“Ang sabi nung mga nakakita, may naghagis daw po,” said his wife, Cita Dionelas. 

(According to those who saw the incident, someone allegedly threw [a firecracker].) 

A 10-year-old girl who was also hurt from debris from the blast said she did not notice anyone hurling a firecracker prior to the explosion.

“Naglu-luces po kami nang biglang may sumabog po. Tapos bigla pong tumakbo kami doon,” she said. 

(We were playing with sparklers when something suddenly exploded. Then we suddenly ran over there.) 

The police’s post-blast investigation showed that the exploded firecracker had a low explosive component. 

“Titignan natin kung sinadya niya ba talagang ilagay ‘yon para masira yung mga kagamitan doon,” said Manila Police District (MPD) spokesperson Police Major Philipp Ines.  

(We are checking if they intentionally left it there to cause damages in the area.)

Authorities are also reviewing videos and CCTV footage that they have in hopes of getting a glimpse of the possible suspects. 

The MPD is also monitoring cases of indiscriminate firing, with eight arrested so far since December 1, 2025.

On New Year’s Day, the MPD arrested three men in separate operations for alleged indiscriminate firing. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA, GMA Integrated News