Malasiqui explosion kills five at suspected illegal firecracker factory

An explosion at a suspected illegal firecracker manufacturing site in Malasiqui, Pangasinan, killed five people on Wednesday night, November 4. Among the fatalities was a seven-year-old child.

The blast occurred around 7:30 p.m. near the boundary of Barangays Tabo-Sili and Calbueg. Residents in neighboring areas reported hearing a loud explosion followed by bursts of flame. A pickup truck parked at the site was also destroyed by the fire.

Local officials stated that the municipal government had not issued any permits for firecracker production at the location. The property, which previously operated as a piggery, was reportedly being used as a workshop by renters. Malasiqui Vice Mayor Daria Dolores Mamaril noted that the victims were members of a single family who were renting the space, and they were not residents of the immediate barangay.

Authorities are investigating the incident to determine the exact circumstances and whether the victims were manufacturing the firecrackers themselves. The identities of the deceased have not yet been confirmed.