The number of fatalities on the ammonia leak incident in Navotas City has climbed to 2.
“Another body was found in the cold storage facility in Navotas this morning,” Vonne Villanueva Navotas City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer told the media on Thursday.
The victim was identified as Joselito Jasareno, 54, and was an electrician in the cold storage facility, where the leak started.
“Kagabi noong pumasok kami dito tiningnan namin ‘yung impact site. Siya po ay nakita ngayong umaga nakasiksik po sa gilid po na medyo malayo po, 20 metro ang layo mula doon sa impact site. Siguro na rin po dahil sa kondisyon noong mga panahon ngayon, dahil malakas pa ang amoy, hindi na-search ng masinsin,” he told GMA News.
The first fatality was identified as Gilbert Tiangco, an employee of the plant owned by the family of Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco.
Five more people are still in critical condition and over 90 persons are injured and brought to hospitals.
Tiangco said that the company will help those affected by the ice plant incident.
“I can assure them that help will be given,” he told CNN Philippines.
Liquid ammonia is used as a refrigerant or coolant for manufacturing purified tube ice.
Ammonia is also used as a refrigerant gas, to purify water supplies, and in the manufacture of plastics, explosives, fabrics, pesticides, dyes and other chemicals. It is found in many household and industrial-strength cleaning solutions.
Cleaning solutions for industrial use contain higher concentrations of ammonia and can quickly cause irritation and burns.
When ammonia enters the body as a result of breathing, swallowing or skin contact, it reacts with water to produce ammonium hydroxide. This chemical is very corrosive and damages cells in the body on contact.
