44 hurt in Bulacan church mezzanine collapse

MANILA – At least 44 churchgoers were hurt after the mezzanine area of a Catholic church in San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan collapsed on Wednesday.

The incident occurred past 7 a.m. at the St. Peter the Apostle Parish Church in Barangay Tungkong Mangga during an Ash Wednesday Mass as the faithful queued for the smearing of ashes on their foreheads, the city's Public Information Office said in a Facebook post.

In a radio interview, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Gina

Ayson said the injured churchgoers were rushed to nearby hospitals.

“Minor (injuries) itong mga patients natin. Wala tayong naitalang patay. Critical, wala naman po. Minor bruises, tapos may mga iniinda na masakit ang balikat (Our patients only have minor injuries. We have not recorded any deaths, no one is critical, minor bruises, while some say their shoulders hurt),” Ayson sai d .

She said Mayor Arthur Robes had proceeded to the scene to assess the situation.

The mayor has also ordered a temporary closure of the church while an assessment by the City Engineering Office and the Office of the City Building Official is underway.

Ayson said the church's mezzanine area, which is made of wood, might have collapsed due to a high volume of churchgoers.

“Medyo may katagalan na rin ito pero nasubject ito sa renovation. Pero yung mismong loob at parang mezzanine area ng simbahan ay medyo may katagalan na rin (The church structure is somewhat old but it has undergone past renovations. The same goes for the church's mezzanine area)," she added. (PNA)