One dead, another hurt as truck catches fire

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A man died while another was wounded after their canter truck loaded with gasoline caught fire near Umapog Bridge in Barangay Luna, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental Tuesday.

Fire officer 1 Jerald Bugtong, arson investigator of Cadiz City Fire Station, identified the fatality as a certain “Romnick.”

Wounded was truck driver John Vincent Recto, 25, of Escalante City.

Bugtong said the truck loaded with 100 containers of gasoline was supposed to deliver their cargo to Sagay City, when Recto lost control over the vehicle while approaching the curve part of the road.

“Possible dasig siguro dalagan ka salakyan,” he added.

Recto tried to maneuver the vehicle but it fell on its side and hit a barrier. The sparks from the incident may have triggered the blaze.

Bugtong said the victims were able to get out of the vehicle, but unfortunately, Romnick was still engulfed by the flames from the burning vehicle.

Romnick succumbed to the blaze while Recto suffered second to third degree burns and was taken to a hospital, Bugtong said.

The incident happened around 2:25 a.m.

Bugtong said the fire damaged an estimate P370,000 worth of property, including the fuel.