Killed in explosion in Manila now 6

The person killed from a powerful explosion that ripped through an upscale condominium in Taguig Philippine has risen to six, including the crew of a passing delivery van that was hit by debris, authorities said on Saturday.

The explosion on Friday night resulted to a huge hole in the wall of the condominium building and sent concrete slabs flying onto the street below, which was teeming with pedestrians. Three people in the van were crushed to death.

The Office of Civil Defence said three more bodies were recovered at the Serendra building, a plush condominium complex surrounded by restaurants and shops in Taguig city in metropolitan Manila.

Five others, including a 9-year-old, were injured.

Authorities were initially looking into a gas supply issue, and residents were kept out of other buildings as officials assessed the supply maintenance.

A telephone operator at the Taguig city police station, who declined to give her name because she was not authorized to speak to the media, said the explosion came from an appliance and was not caused by a bomb.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, who visited the site with President Benigno Aquino III, told reporters that the building was evacuated and all possible angles were being investigated. He said a forensic examination was not yet finished.

"This could be an accident, this could be an explosion of chemicals. This could be anything. Let us not speculate," he said. He urged the public to refrain from speculating if the blast was linked to recent travel advisories issued by the US, British, Canadian and Australian governments for the restive southern Philippines, where they cited a risk of kidnappings and terrorist activities.

Muslim militants have targeted the Philippine capital in the past, but most attacks have been confined to the southern region, where minority Muslims have fought for self-rule for decades.

Blast hits condominium at Global City Philippines kill 3

Three people died last night at Global City Taguig Philippines, they were crushed by a concrete slab that fell from an upscale condominium after a mysterious explosion, local officials said.

The victims were aboard a van passing through the posh commercial area in Taguig City when a concrete slab fell from a section on the fifth floor of Serendra when it was damaged by the blast. Several other vehicles were also struck.

The explosion caused a panic among the people shopping and dining in the area. The explosion also shattered windows of other establishments near the area. “We are still in the process of getting all information and determining the cause of the explosion,” Taguig City Administrator Joel Montales said in a press statement. “Local police, fire and rescue teams are in the area to help determine the cause and casualties in the explosion,” he added.

According to initial information gathered by police, the blast was caused by an appliance in one of the condominium units. Residents of the condominium were forced to evacuate the building due to thick smoke, police said.