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Hotel explosion kills 3, wounds 27 in Philippines
The explosion, suspected to have been caused by a bomb, ignited a fire that gutted the two-storey Atilano Pension House.
Manila: A powerful blast killed at least three people and wounded 27 others in a budget hotel packed with wedding guests in the southern Philippines, officials said on Monday.
The explosion, suspected to have been caused by a bomb, ignited a fire that gutted the two-storey Atilano Pension House in downtown Zamboanga city late Sunday. The blast was so powerful it caused much of the second floor to collapse, blew off the hotel roof and shattered glass panes and windows from nearby buildings, Zamboanga city Mayor Celso Lobregat said.
Two of the wounded were in serious condition in a hospital, he said.
Zamboanga, a bustling city where US counterterrorism troops are based, has been hit by deadly bombings blamed on al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants in the past. The blast occurred in room 226 on the second floor of the hotel, instantly killing two people staying in two adjacent rooms, which were devastated by the blast. A third body was found dead on Monday on the ground floor, pinned by the cement slabs that collapsed from above.
Initial investigation pointed to a bomb, Lobregat said, adding that he has asked Zamboanga residents to stay calm.
"We should not show that we`re panicking because that is what these troublemakers relish to see," Lobregat said by telephone. "We have good leads; we will get all of them."
Bureau Report
The explosion, suspected to have been caused by a bomb, ignited a fire that gutted the two-storey Atilano Pension House in downtown Zamboanga city late Sunday. The blast was so powerful it caused much of the second floor to collapse, blew off the hotel roof and shattered glass panes and windows from nearby buildings, Zamboanga city Mayor Celso Lobregat said.
Two of the wounded were in serious condition in a hospital, he said.
Zamboanga, a bustling city where US counterterrorism troops are based, has been hit by deadly bombings blamed on al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants in the past. The blast occurred in room 226 on the second floor of the hotel, instantly killing two people staying in two adjacent rooms, which were devastated by the blast. A third body was found dead on Monday on the ground floor, pinned by the cement slabs that collapsed from above.
Initial investigation pointed to a bomb, Lobregat said, adding that he has asked Zamboanga residents to stay calm.
"We should not show that we`re panicking because that is what these troublemakers relish to see," Lobregat said by telephone. "We have good leads; we will get all of them."
Bureau Report