Filipinos killed, injured in Abu Dhabi gas blast: all the updates
DUBAI – A deadly gas explosion at a restaurant along Abu Dhabi’s Airport Road on August 31 left three people dead, including two Filipinos, and injured 26 others, including 10 Filipinos. Here’s what we know so far about the Filipino victims.How many people were injured in the gas explosion?
Twenty-six people, including 10 Filipinos, were injured in the blast, according to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Abu Dhabi. Two Filipino children were also among those injured. Six of the injured were immediately taken to the Sheikh Khalifa Medical Centre for treatment. As of September 2, five of the injured Filipinos were discharged from hospital, while the sixth victim, identified as Rodel Paclibar, also a KFC-Abu Dhabi staff member, remained at the hospital for further observation.Is it true that the family of the victims will get P120,000?
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello, in a statement on September 2, assured that the families of victims Clark Gasis and Merriner Bartoces will each receive bereavement assistance of P120,000 (Dh8,888). “They will also get insurance benefits if they are qualified members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA),” Bello said, adding that OWWA will be ready to provide additional aid allowed by law to the families of the victims.Who were killed in the explosion?
The Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi confirmed to Expatmedia.net that two Filipinos died in the gas explosion. The victims were Clark Gasis, 39, an electrical draftsman from Tandag, Surigao del Sur, and Merriner Bartoces, 26, from Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. A Sri Lankan national later died in hospital, the Sri Lankan Embassy confirmed on September 3.Do you have more details about Merriner Bartoces?
Merriner Bartoces, 26, was the cashier at KFC at the time of the blast. Her body was later found under the rubble, relatives confirmed to Expatmedia.net.
In an emotional Facebook comment, her partner said that Bartoces had left for work at around 8:10am that fateful day. Bartoces was the opening shift cashier at KFC at the time of the blast, her relative told Expatmedia.net.
In a video interview with HEADZ Up Negros, Bartoces’ family in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental described her as a generous breadwinner of the family. Bartoces’ mother and uncle said the young Filipina dropped out of college and worked abroad to support the family and pay for her siblings’ education.
Watch the video interview here:
https://www.facebook.com/headzupdumaguete/videos/734144704167977
Her family appealed to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to help repatriate her remains as soon as possible. "Even if it will take some time, as long as her body is brought home," her uncle said.
Meanwhile, Bartoces’ friends took to social media to pay tribute. Ceej Muncal, in Filipino, called her a “very good friend, trustworthy and thoughtful”, saying that Bartoces never forgot to check up on him even during the pandemic.
Muncal said that during one of his conversations with Bartoces, the Filipina said she wanted to build a new and bigger home for her family. Muncal said Bartoces confided that she wanted to finish her college education once her sibling graduates.
“You wanted to achieve so much in life. May everything you ever wanted help inspire your family,” Muncal said on Facebook.
Do you have more details about Clark Gasis?
Clark Gasis, a 39-year-old father of two, had just celebrated his son's 4th birthday in Abu Dhabi on August 29. Two days later, he was killed in the gas explosion at the building along Rashid Bin Saeed Street, close to where he used to live.
Prior to this tragic day, Gasis rarely went outside since he was working from home. On that fateful day, he was on his way to a medical check-up to renew his visa when he stopped by the area where he used to live, according to a Gulf News report.
That morning, he reportedly dropped his wife at her office at 8am and then headed to his office to get some documents before going to his medical check-up.
As news of the blast broke, his wife went searching for him when she couldn’t contact him. She found his car near the site of the explosion. She later learned from friends and the Philippine Embassy that her husband was among those killed in the explosion.
The couple, who celebrated their 6th wedding anniversary in May, also have a five-year-old daughter. Their children were born and raised in the UAE. Gasis' wife said she wants to bring his body home to the Philippines as soon as possible.
Will the Filipino gas blast victims get assistance?
Philippine Ambassador Hjayceelyn Quintana has reached out to the families of the victims to express condolences and to give assurance that they will receive necessary assistance. According to Quintana, the Philippine Embassy continues to work with UAE authorities on the injured Filipinos who were brought to the hospital for treatment of minor and moderate injuries so that they can be given appropriate support.What about building residents displaced by the gas explosion?
According to the Emirates Red Crescent, the 208 people left homeless by the gas explosion will receive accommodation assistance. The organization said its volunteers have transferred residents to hotels in the city and will be covering their accommodation expenses under a directive by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, who is also its chairman.What happened on August 31
An Abu Dhabi Police representative confirmed to Expatmedia.net that the gas explosion happened at a restaurant in a building along Rashid Bin Saeed Street, more popularly known as Airport Road. The huge explosion completely destroyed KFC and Hardee’s outlets, as well as neighbouring shops and vehicle parked within the vicinity.What caused the explosion?
The blast was caused by a fault in the gas installation, police told Expatmedia.net. Abu Dhabi Media said onsite investigations revealed the incident was caused by "misalignment in the gas container fittings following refuelling". ICA/Expat MediaFor all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube 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