A Car Blew Up Near Our Office, at Serendra!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009 12:40Posting this just minutes after we heard a loud explosion from our office at Bonifacio High Street; within seconds, sirens we sounding off and security guards downstairs were rushing towards Serendra. We were curious, but were a little afraid, too; I quickly grabbed my camera and sprinted to that direction and behold, a car entering the Serendra basement parking was there up in smoke.
Guards rushed to scene just seconds after the explosion.
Guards clearing the damage.
I could not confirm the facts yet at this time but they said one or two persons either died or were severely injured, and that there was a bomb either in the car or under it. (Update: I just realized the photos I took had the driver still in the car, so at least one death confirmed.)
The car that blew up.
The guards asked everyone to evacuate the area in the meantime and as precautionary measures for possible additional damage, so I rushed back to the office to write about it.
(Update: Reports have been coming in that the explosion was not caused by a bomb. I’ll confirm this as soon as I have official word.)
(Update: About an hour ago, I went back to the scene to meet with an ABS-CBN crew and I saw that they’ve cordoned off the area. Also, they’ve finally removed the body from the scene; I feel really sad about the driver of the car.)
They've cordoned off the area; only police, Ayala officials and security personnel, and representatives from different news groups were allowed in.
Crime scene operatives finally carried the victim out of the scene.
(Update: The victim was one Remegio Ang, a unit owner at Serendra 2. The car is a black Honda Civic with plate number TNM-865; as of latest reports, combustible material that smelled like gasoline / thinner was found at the site, which might have lit up when the victim dropped his cigarette to the ground. There was a pack of cigarettes found inside the car which supports this theory. In addition, contrary to rumors and initial buzz from the actual site that there were two casualties, there was only one victim and no other injuries from what happened. Sources: TV Patrol and 24 Oras, 15 December 2009 broadcast.)
All photos were posted here.
jia says:
December 15th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
San ‘yung pic na may driver pa?
Leo says:
December 15th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Whoa!? Can’t believed this happens.
Mavie Ungco says:
December 15th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Hi! I’m Mavie Ungco, a web producer for GMANEWS.TV. Is there a way to contact you by phone? We are interested to use your photos on this event for a news report on the site. We will credit you of course. Thanks.
Judd says:
December 15th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
@Jia: ‘Yung last. Nilagyan ko ng blur ‘yung mukha.
Cher Cabula says:
December 15th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
wow this was fast. Thanks for sharing this.
arpee lazaro says:
December 15th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
di kya lpg yung kotse kya sumabog?
Nikolas says:
December 15th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Is this another GMA Ayala Bombing?
reyjr says:
December 15th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Tsk tsk. The reports say the driver got burned…
Thanks for the update Judd.
king del rosario says:
December 15th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
@mavie
credit? dapat may bayad!
Rico says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Thanks for sharing this with the rest of us
bong says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
From Yahoo! News:
“Initial reports from SOCO revealed that the private car was converted to LPG and there was a leak in the tank. The driver of the car lit up a cigarette inside the car which resulted to igniting the gas and blew up the car.”
Eudora says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
This just happened? Be careful k. Ingats!
Jomar says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Nah, if that’s LPG then the whole trunk should be turned into mush by now…I believe LPG-powered cars usually store the storage tank in the trunk of the car..
Jomar says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
…basing from the damage, the explosion was from the back seats…
Jimmy Domingo says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
long live citizen photojournalism! mabuhay ka!
Boy Calimlim says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
great job judd
JT says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I don’t think it was LPG as there are a lot of features that would prevent the explosion from happening.
If you notice too, its a 93-5 Honda Civic, I am not sure if they have conversion kits for that already for that model car….then again i could be wrong.
elc says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
i don’t think it was a bomb, otherwise the car would be heavily damaged or totally destroyed, and there would have been damage too to serendra.
My, my, my. says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
For some reason, I hear the words “Martial Law” and “extended term”. I hope my ears hear wrong.
bunnygod says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
heard the explosion from our office in B8. malakas nga. kaso when i went down to see, tapos na.
thanks sa post. ambilis!
RIcky Carandang says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Sir,
Thanks for posting and allowing us to use your photos. A perfect example of citizen journlaism.
JT says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
I also agree with Jomar as if it was the LPG tank that blew up the trunk lid would have exploded but as you can see the trunk is closed.
Nice job by the way with the pictures Kudos to you sir!
Robbie says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
i agree with jomar. LPG tank’s are usually installed in the trunk — which is still intact.
my guess is the LPG thing is their press release to ward off any public panic from news that it could’ve been a bomb that prematurely went off.
if it wasn’t a bomb, then this can’t be good for Honda…
toyz says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
wow your so fast to take that pic…. cno kya my kagagawan non???
irv says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Doesn’t look like a bomb, even the glass windows from the nearby structure (guard house?) wasn’t broken. If there were a bomb the glass windows probably should have shattered.
I wouldn’t be surprised too if this were caused by an LPG conversion because it seems like the damage was from inside the car. The LPG conversion industry says the equipment is safe because it’s thicker, etc., which is probably true. But then again, conversions aren’t factory installed…
Babsy says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I just saw ABS CBN used your photos. Job well done in documenting the event.
Mico Sanvictores says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
thanks for the update Judd. I also watched your interview on ANC. good job!
JT says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
It appears that whatever he was carrying with him inside the rear seats caused the explosion…he probably loaded something combustible that he wasn’t aware of or was oblivious to the fact that it was what it was.
SavineMiguella says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Thanks for sharing this and such information is vital, specially now a days. What you did is great!
Odessa Sampana says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Two thumbs up for U Judd..this was a great citizen journalism…Hope it was caused by the LPG not the other way around :p
sirp says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
I was in fully booked 3/f when i heard the blast. it was so loud we felt it inside the building. as i took a look at the glass windows, i saw the car was still in flames and the driver was moving. the guards were trying to approach the car but they couldn’t get near perhaps due to the intense heat. they tried several fire extinguishers but they were not enought that the other guards from surroundng establishments brought their own and helped took the fire out. but it was too late. the guy just stopped moving when the flame was still at its peak. for a while, i thought he would make it as from my angle high behind the car, he seemed trying to take out his seatbelt. i saw how his hair disappeared/burned. when all the smoke was gone, there he was just seating motionless. may God have mercy on his soul.
lemuelkit says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
I was walking in front sentro when the car blew up. I was heading to market market for lunch. grabeh!!! i hurriedly went away for i got scared of another explosion.
cindyrella says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
grabe naman,.. T_T
Menard says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Judd,
That was fast!
Got this link via twitter, and I realized hey its your shootdelay photo blog
Thanks for sharing these photos.
iana says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
good job in documenting the incident!
jigs says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
i guess it was a bomb but not as bomb that would destruct the whole place, i guess for the prson and the car itlsef.
Mommy Dharlz says:
December 15th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
grabe naman yan.. nakakapangilabot
MJ says:
December 15th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
So the lesson here is, smoking can get you killed!
Gido says:
December 15th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
This is not LPG. It’s a bomb designed just to kill the driver..
pawipawi says:
December 15th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
I saw the man struggling! i was outside fullybooked that time. very scary! i can’t even eat anything.
Art says:
December 15th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
I agree with Jomar, LPG tanks are usually stored in the trunk, the damage seems to be contained within the car. Quite mysterious if you ask me, I wouldn’t discount the possibility that it could be a low-powered bomb designed to incinerate just the car, or the possibility that the driver just left something combustible in the car – which could have blown up during the heat of high noon (in a black car).
jeprox says:
December 15th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
pwede ring LPG, depende sa set-up ng LPG tank sa trunk nya.. pero, imposible na bomb..
mykee says:
December 15th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
honda plate nr tnm865 honda model 1994 color black registered on 05 06 09. sad day
rojinie says:
December 15th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
text going around that it was a bomb…hope someone reports what the real cause is, too much speculating causes unnecessary fear and panic…my hats of to your quick thinking and reporting…
Wally says:
December 15th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
I saw from an episode of Myth Busters on Discovery Channel that cars don’t just explode, evenif you light up the gas tank. The gasoline will just burn. But not explode. Evenif there was an electrical problem that might ignite the gas tank, it won’t explode either. So there must be an explosive device inside the vehicle (like a bomb), or just like what they said, an LPG tank caused it.
The Lady Prism says:
December 15th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Thank goodness for your blog!!
Had to post this blog of yours on my FB to tell friends. – Hope you don’t mind. Stay safe!
Lead Philippines says:
December 15th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I hope it is not bombing or terror related incident!
Julian says:
December 15th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
This is great updates, the explosion and the smoke per se can actually be seen from our Building.
Kuya Kevin says:
December 15th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Thanks for posting this. I’m wondering if this was a bomb or some kind of accident.
fjordz says:
December 15th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
timely post for the event! galing!
kitty.. says:
December 15th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
so?! any updates?! what is it really then?! i read all the comments.. everything is just speculations.. what’s the real score?!
Wally says:
December 15th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Ok, so the guy’s body is intact? So that means it’s not a bomb then. If it was a bomb, they will be picking up body parts in the street. In the past, exploding LPG tanks usually cause severe burns to victims. Evenif a cook is standing next to an LPG in a kitchen when it explodes, the worst he could get is severe burns. But no flying body parts, like in the case of a bomb.
carlo buhay says:
December 15th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I was shocked when i saw cautionary police lines as we went to boni high… It might have been a leak from under the car… then it exploded as soon as the driver or the passenger dropped the cigarette on the side… that could have triggered the explosion… well could be wrong… thanks for the info btw!
carmela says:
December 15th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
im a neighbor, its the driver that got burned. in the pic, the figure you see in the car seat is the driver, he was really burned. we got to see it downstairs in the basement as our car is just parked there. this is a case of freak accident. thankfully they got the body out after 2 hours it happened and the area is now blocked off. explosion is from the back of the driver/car seat of the driver.
Micah says:
December 15th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Saw this from a link on Twitter. Thanks for the post. Citizen journalism indeed.
anton says:
December 15th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
posted your link bro for fb…
may the driver rest in peace.
more power!
Ambo says:
December 15th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Saw your blog on anc channel. thanks for sharing. =)
Serendra Car Explosion. | Shootdelay says:
December 15th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
[...] Full post here: http://juddstamaria.com/2009/12/15/a-car-blew-up-near-our-office-at-serendra/ [...]
Serge says:
December 15th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
This is definitely not good news – not good at all.
Glenn V says:
December 15th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Is there anyway you can zoom in on the trunk and see if it is a LPG converted car and if the tank is intact. Safety release valves are installed to avoid LPG tanks from exploding into a big fireball. And it takes a couple of minutes for the heat to build up to cause a big explosion as well. The safety release valves release the gas to avoid the LPG from building up pressure. So there’s going to be fire but none to minimal explosion.
I also noticed the inside metal part of the trunk isn’t even burned…
James says:
December 15th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
I hope this is just an isulated accident.
Analyn Pudendum says:
December 15th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Mahal ang bayad sa mga pictures na ganyan. Binibili talaga yan ng mga TV stations. Hehe. Kaya dapat laging may dalang DSLR. Wag ka papayag na TY lang. You are good man!
Martin Gonzales says:
December 15th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Hey Judd! I’m surprised to find you here through this post, I haven’t seen you for ages! congrats for the shots!
cielo says:
December 15th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
LPG tanks have high resistance to explosion, LPG tanks explode because it cannot withstand pressure when the car is already burning but they don’t explode 1st without any fire to begin with. LPG tanks are stored in the trunk so when it explodes the trunk is the 1st one to be burnt. Moreover LPG fuel lines are outside the body so if they leak they get mixed with the atmosphere which will never catch fire when you smoke a cigarette. LPG has many valves and detects leaks so normally the LPG shuts off automatically and shifts you back to gasoline. Thanks for posting.
Jia says:
December 15th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
@judd: patingin na lang orig pic sa pasko!
hehe. i wanna see it.. ok?
angela says:
December 15th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
thanks for the pictures. woosh, pupunta sna aq sa unit nmen(serendra 1) today, atleast di natuloy with all the commotions there. grabe ngyare . accident nman cguro un. aw, feel sorry sa family.
lewdskywalker says:
December 15th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Possible din LPG. Kung may leak at gas build-up sa loob ng trunk at car then ignited when he lit up a cigarette. Probably small quantities lang kaya mabilis yung pag sabog (contained inside the car). Mapapansin ninyo ito in some LPG-converted taxis, minsan amoy LPG sa loob lalo pag airconditioned. Anyway, kawawa naman yung driver. May he soul rest in peace.
dorine says:
December 15th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
its good taking pics…..
in that way you can make your own report…..
Glenn V says:
December 15th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
looking at the flickr pics… i can’t see the cylindrical tank at the trunk… there’s none…
its possible that he used a toroidal tank… hard to tell…
videoman says:
December 16th, 2009 at 12:24 am
i got a video of the burning car..whew thank you god wer still alive
kaibigan ata ni cielo-leen says:
December 16th, 2009 at 1:23 am
I think i know who reporter cielo is..
does this mean then that we are ruling out the LPG being the cause of the explosion??? we’re left with two very, scary theories which i dare not mention here :-s burrrr…
z33r0c00l says:
December 16th, 2009 at 10:09 am
This is caused by an LPG malfunction. If you check the pictures closely, then front and rear end of the car were not damaged and the inside portion of the car was burned badly, meaning that the explosion started from the inside. Possible that there was a leak somewhere in the car. Like on the previous posts, LPG tanks has safety valves that close when they detect unusual pressure build up in and out the tank to prevent massive explosions.
Patrick says:
December 16th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Condolences to the family..malapit pa naman Pasko.
Post kayo kung alam niyo ano na talaga nangyari.
Glenn V says:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Its hard to tell if its a LPG malfunction. 1st did they have it converted in a reputable shop? Other than the safety release/relief valve there’s also another safety feature where it shuts down the LPG tank if there is a sudden loss of pressure in the system. 2nd the gas lines are not routed inside the vehicle it goes outside the vehicle to dissapate with the air outside avoiding iginition. (even if you threw a cigarette outside it won’t ignite since the concentration is low.
3rd if there was a leak inside the car wouldn’t they have smelled it? Normally LPG doesn’t have any odor but they intentionally placed a bad odor to it so people can tell there’s LPG in the air. I’m guessing it would take a LOT of LPG gas inside the car to have caused a big explosion. 4th this honda is fuel injected and the conversion kit installed would have probably be a SGI type meaning its also LPG injection system. That means LPG can’t escape thru the system the only way out is directly inside the intake manifold assuming conversion was done correctly. So… there must be something really volatile at the back of the driver that would have caused this. go to youtube and check out LPG car fires…with safety systems… it doesn’t explode… from what i read this thing literally blew up which is weird.
Rey says:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:31 am
evidence was tampered due to fire extinguisher chemical. they should be trained not to use ABC type firex in case like this.
Jan says:
December 16th, 2009 at 11:52 am
Condolences to the family members.
~
Explosion was caused by the accumulation of gas in the cabin. The pressure in the cabin caused the “boom” blowing out windows. Why not the trunk? cause the tank surely did not explode, but burned off the remaining gas, feeding off oxygen in the cabin in the absence of windows. The explosion in the cabin even left the victim intact, and that is self-explanatory.
We should always consider the angle of an accident and a suicide. A malfunction or an intended incident. until proven otherwise.
~
If they wanted to create a scene as a precursor to martial law, I think those evil politicians can do better than that.
~
Great capture by the way.
Angel Cuala says:
December 16th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Aside from the sad news, this is a classic sample of responsible blogging.
These days, it is hard to find bloggers like you even though a lot of use have the capability to do so.
As I watched it the news, I learned that it was due to a lighted cigarette whil there was paint thinner on the front passenger seat.
And yes, I think you should be paid for the photos if being used by media.
Jay Castillo says:
December 16th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
My condolences to the driver and his family, may he rest in peace . I’m glad I wasn’t there to see it happen, must have been horrible especially how sirp described it.
At the very least they should have a clue as to what caused the explosion by now. Reminds me of the Glorietta explosion.
Glenn V says:
December 16th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Read it here as well…
http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/19794-car-explodes-at-serendra.html the lighted cigarette lighted the paint thinner. (which is actually combustible)
promking says:
December 16th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
nakakatakot pala yang ganyan.
let’s pray for them.
Ronichi says:
December 16th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Juday aminin mo na ikaw naglagay ng bomba…. hehe loko lang. =)
Rod says:
December 16th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
As a protection, watermark your photo with:
©2009 (Your Name)
Mai says:
December 17th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Mapansin pa kaya ang comment ko sa isang kabundok na pile na to? Hehe.
Umamin ka na, magkano mo nabenta yung pics?!!! 
I’m so proud of you Judd. May magandang pinatunguhan ang pagka BONG mo!
The Best of Pinoy Web (week ending 12/18/09) says:
December 20th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
[...] Judd Sta. Maria first reports the Serendra car explosion [...]
Judd says:
December 20th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
@Mai: Hindi ko binenta, pero may mga bumibili. Ang mura ng offer eh, kaya binigay ko nalang sa lahat nang libre (with credit and individual approvals).