Scores hurt as second floor of Bulacan church collapses on Ash Wednesday

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Part of the second floor of the St. Peter Apostle Parish Church in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan collapsed, injuring dozens of churchgoers on Ash Wednesday, the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) said.

At least 47 people were hurt in the incident, according to a report by Allan Gatus on Super Radyo dzBB.

CDRRMO head Gina Ayson said that the second floor, which is made of wood, collapsed as people lined up for the marking of ashes on their foreheads.

“Medyo marami po talagang tao dahil sabay po kasi siya eh sa pagpila ng pagpapahid ng abo kaya po talagang medyo dumagsa po ang tao,” she told Super Radyo dzBB in an interview.

(There were quite a lot of people because it was at the same time when people were queuing up for the marking of ashes.)

She said the victims suffered minor injuries such as bruises and shoulder pain. There was no reported fatality or critical injuries in the incident as of posting time.

According to the San Jose del Monte Public Information Office (PIO), part of the second floor collapsed past 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Witnesses reported hearing screams and shouting before the wooden floor gave way.

The city’s PIO said that as of 9:35 a.m., 44 injured individuals were rushed to different hospitals.

Of this number, 24 were brought to the Ospital ng Lungsod ng San Jose del Monte, nine to the Tala Hospital, five to the Brigino General Hospital, three to the Skyline Hospital, two to Labpro Diagnostic Center, and one to the Grace General Hospital.

Clearing operations at the site in Barangay Tungkong Mangga were ongoing as of posting time.

The city government will shoulder all of the medical expenses of the victims, according to the city PIO.

It has also ordered the temporary closure of the church pending the assessment of the city engineering and building officials.

Ayson said the church had undergone renovation but the interior of the church and its mezzanine are already old.

One of the victims, Eva San Diego, told Super Radyo dzBB that the collapse was gradual. — VDV, GMA Integrated News

This article Scores hurt as second floor of Bulacan church collapses on Ash Wednesday was originally published in GMA News Online.