11 hurt after fire razes firework stalls in Antipolo

Eleven people were injured in a blaze that hit a designated firework selling area in Antipolo, Rizal, during the New Year revelries early Thursday morning.

In a report on Unang Balita, GMA Integrated News' EJ Gomez said that according to witnesses, the incident happened around 12 midnight when sparks from a lit firework fall on the stores. 

"Ang ginagawa ko lang po noon is nanoonood lang po ako ng fireworks gawa po ng 12 (midnight) na po noon kaya po nagpapaputok na po sila. Then napansin ko po biglang lumihis po 'yung paputok then doon na po nagsimula 'yung trahedya," a witness recalled. 

(What I was doing then was watching the fireworks, since it was already 12:00 (midnight) and they were already being lit.) Then I noticed the fireworks suddenly veered off course, and that’s when the tragedy started.) 

Spectators and vendors ran for their safety and hid behind walls and a nearby house.

Many of those injured suffered bruises, abrasions, and cuts.

"Nung pagdating ko dito, mayroon isang minor injury, nag-hyperventilate. And then, only to find out, 'yung iba is nandoon na po sa barangay namin so doon na po nagproceed 'yung ibang rescue. And then, may anim nang napunta doon sa hospital so chineck namin, in total is 11 sila. Tumakbo sila e so 'yung pagtakbo nila, nadapa, so mga gasgas at 'yung isa is may laceration doon sa kamay but all is okay naman," Jan Ralph Domingo, officer in charge of  Dela Paz Rescue, said.

(When I arrived here, there was one minor injury, and someone was also hyperventilating. And then, only to find out, the others were already at our barangay hall, so the other rescue teams proceeded there. There were six who had already gone to the hospital, so we checked, and in total, there were 11 of them. They ran, and while they were running, they tripped, so there were scrapes, and one had a laceration on their hand, but everyone is okay now.) 

SFO2 Jayar Viduya, Antipolo City Fire Station Intelligence and Investigation Unit chief, said the firecracker that caused the blaze was a so-called aerial fountain. 

“Actually, aerial fountain po siya. Hindi po siya yung ordinary fountain,” he said on "Balitanghali."

(Actually, it was an aerial fountain. It wasn't just an ordinary fountain.) 

“Allegedly, nung sabay po nung pagpalit ng taon, 12 midnight, allegedly may nagsindi ng aerial fountain sa open field. Ang nangyari po is yung isang aerial fountain nag-shoot up doon sa isang pwesto ng retailer na mayroon pa pong stocks na hindi nabenta,” Viduya added. 

(Allegedly, right as the year changed at 12 midnight, someone allegedly lit an aerial fountain in the open field. What happened was one aerial fountain shot into a retailer's stall that still had unsold stock.) 

The Antipolo City Fire Station said unused firecrackers must be disposed of immediately. 

“Mahigpit po namin na paalala, ‘yung hindi na po nagamit ay huwag niyo pong itago. ‘Yan po ay dapat idini-depose nang maayos, so babasain po natin ‘yan,” said Viduya. 

(We have a strict reminder: do not keep the fireworks that weren't used. Those should be disposed of properly, so we should soak them in water.) 

According to a report in “24 Oras”, authorities are now suspecting that vendors from the firework stalls were the ones behind the incident. 

“Nung pagpatak ng alas dose, yung pong mismong stall, isa sa mga stalls allegedly ay sinabayan yung pagpalit ng taon. Nagsindi rin po sila ng kanilang firework sa open field. Nag-misfire o pumasok yung isang aerial fireworks sa retailer na mayroon pang stocks na hindi naibenta ng firecrackers,” said Viduya in another interview. 

(At 12 a.m, one of the stalls allegedly joined in the celebration of the new year. They also lit their own fireworks in the open field. One of the aerial fireworks then misfired or entered a retailer's stall that still had unsold stocks of firecrackers.) 

Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) personnel went away for a moment to get some equipment in preparation for possible untoward incident. But the suspects set up an aerial fountain in the middle of a football field where the designated area for firecracker stalls was also located, the report said. 

BFP is still looking for CCTV footage that could help identify the suspects who will face charges for negligence resulting to damage to property and physical injury, the report added. 

Around eight firetrucks of the BFP responded to the incident.  

The fire was put out past 12 a.m. Authorities are still conducting investigation.

According to barangay officials, the designated fireworks selling area, with around 20 stalls, was opened in December 2025. The stalls were previously located along the highway. —AOL/RF, GMA Integrated News