By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – Authorities have flagged a 20,000-liter fuel tanker for allegedly transferring gasoline in a residential area in Quezon City, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said Monday.
BFP officer-in-charge Chief Supt. Wilbero Rico Neil Kwan Tiu said personnel from the Quezon City Fire District, along with officers from the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Station 10, on Saturday responded to reports of illegal activity involving flammable liquids.
“The tanker was impounded unless they can provide the necessary permits for their activities,” Kwan Tiu said during a press briefing.
He noted that such activity poses danger in residential areas.
Quezon City Police District chief Brig. Gen. Randy Glenn Silvio said they have identified the tanker’s owner but have yet to formally engage them, as initial contact was made only through representatives.
Silvio said no arrests have been made, noting that the owner’s staff have yet to submit complete documentation.
The tanker was discovered along Scout Castor Street in Barangay Sacred Heart on Saturday following a complaint from a concerned resident.
“Ang sinasabi lang nila, ng tauhan ng may-ari, na ito ay gagamitin nila for personal consumption sa office nila. But, naalarma ang kapitbahay kasi medyo malaki yung pag-iimbakan nung gasolina. Since na residential yan, kailangan ng mga permit niyan (One of the owner’s staff told us that they would be using the fuel for their office’s consumption. But a neighbor was alarmed because of the size of the gas tanker. Since it’s a residential area, that needs a permit),” Silvio said.
He added that authorities have instructed personnel not to move the tanker until the owner submits documents proving compliance with fire safety standards. (PNA)
