12 factory workers killed in Philippines blast

Twelve factory workers were killed and five injured when a boiler at a Styrofoam packaging plant exploded in the Philippines, the police said on Wednesday.

Twelve factory workers were killed and five injured when a boiler at a Styrofoam packaging plant exploded in the Philippines, the police said on Wednesday.The explosion occurred on Tuesday evening as night shift employees worked at the factory in Santa Maria town in Bulacan province, just north of Manila.

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The town's police chief, superintendent Marcos Rivero, said five workers died on the spot while others were trapped under concrete and steel debris as the blast destroyed the factory."The explosion was very powerful," he said. "Some of the fatalities were buried in rubble while others died while undergoing treatment in nearby hospitals."

Rivero said rescuers were checking if there were workers still trapped in the debris.

He said an initial investigation showed the boiler overheated, causing it to explode. Investigators have so far not found evidence of sabotage.