MALOLOS CITY — A stockpile of fireworks loaded on an Elf truck exploded during a campaign motorcade in Barangay Mojon, this city last Sunday, injuring six occupants of the vehicle, police said Monday.

Senior Superintendent Fernando S. Villanueva, Bulacan Police Provincial Office (PPO) director, said the fireworks suddenly exploded while the Elf truck was joining the campaign motorcade of Teody Apostol in Felicisima Subdivision.

Six of Apostol’s campaign supporters sustained burns, bruises and lacerations on their legs and face, Villanueva said.

Five of them – Rhia Rose Santiago, 15, Joselyn Menesses, 15, both of Menzyland Subdivision; Elen Genioso, 15, and Jhon Bollar, 26, both of Mojon; and Rafaela Garcia, 15, of Barangay San Gabriel – were treated at the Bulacan Provincial Hospital and sent home.

The sixth victim, a woman, reportedly suffered severe injuries as she was the one nearest to the stockpile of “kwitis” that exploded.

She was taken to the Sacred Heart Hospital but later transferred to a hospital in Manila for further treatment.

“Pinakamalapit siya na nakapwesto sa mga kwitis na sumabog kaya medyo siya ang grabeng nasaktan (She was closest to the fireworks that exploded that’s why she was the most severely injured,” one candidate for councilman said.

Investigation showed that the motorcade of Apostol’s team was already moving when a group of teenagers started lightning fireworks, prompting some participants of the motorcade to stop them as it created too much smoke.

The group stopped but an unidentified man approached the vehicle and lighted one of the fireworks, which failed to launch and, instead, dove into the stockpile and caused the explosion.

Residents of Green and Golden Streets, where the incident happened, were apprehensive that the explosion could have razed the truck, or worse, started a fire in their subdivision.

Meanwhile, a student from Bulacan State University who requested anonymity, said it was some of the SK candidates smoking on the truck were the ones who unwittingly ignited the explosion.