Twenty-seven individuals, including 20 uniformed personnel and seven civilians, were injured in an explosion in Zamboanga City.

In a report, the Zamboanga City Police Office said that the explosion occurred at 5:37 pm at a disposal site in Barangay Cabatangan, Zamboanga City during a joint operation with the Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Explosive and Canine Unit 9, Philippine Marines, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Injured personnel included six members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Explosives and Canine Unit 9, three members of the Philippine Coast Guard, five members of the Bureau of Fire Protection, and five members of the Philippine Marines.

Of this number, five were severely wounded while 14 sustained minor injuries.

Among the civilians were four minors, including a two-month-old male, a five-year-old female, an 11-year-old female who were residents of Barangay Cabatangan, and a 13-year-old female resident of Barangay Sta. Maria.

All civilians only obtained minor injuries.

According to the Zamboanga City Police Office, the said the purpose of the joint operation was to dispose of confiscated firecrackers seized during an explosion incident in Barangay Tetuan, Zamboanga City on June 29 which resulted in premature detonation, leading to the injuries of officers from various government agencies and civilians.

“The Police Regional Office 9 (PRO9) assures the public that we are taking this matter seriously and will take all necessary actions to address the incident. We want to inform the public that the situation is under control and that we are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all involved,” the Zamboanga City Police Office said in a statement posted on Facebook.

The explosion also damaged three PNP vehicles and one BFP fire truck.

Police said they are still investigating the total extent of the damages. Jaspearl Tan/DMS