The Makati City government ordered on Friday the closure of a Chinese restaurant, operating without a sprinkler system, that exploded due to an alleged gas leak.
Makati City Police chief Col. Rogelio Simon said the City of Makati had issued the closure order against the Judian Chuan Ba Restaurant, located along Yakal Street, after four Chinese nationals were injured during the Thursday night explosion.
Preliminary estimates of damage had been placed at P180,000, according to officials.
"Notice is hereby given that this establishment is closed for violation of the regulatory provisions of existing city ordinances, laws and regulations," the order read.
"The management is, therefore, ordered to cease and desist from operation," it added.
The city's Bureau of Fire and Protection said it found the Chinese restaurant only had a fire safety inspection certificate from 2017.
Authorities were checking if any safety inspection was done in 2018 and 2019. The police identified the victims as: Yue Qzang Cao, 45; Liang Zhang, 37; Ting Tang, 26; and Long Liun Yun, 27
Yue Qzang Cao is in the intensive care unit of Makati Medical Center, while the three others are recuperating.
All of the victims are Chinese nationals: Two are employees of the Judianchuanba Restaurant, while two were passersby, official sources said.
Eduardo Labrador, chief of BFP-Makati’s investigation unit, said the explosion, which occurred at around 8:40 p.m. Thursday, was caused by a gas leak in the piping system of the restaurant.
The establishment had no gas leak detector, which the fire code requires of establishments.
Labrador said a cigarette butt and lighter were left lying around, and the stove was left unattended, most likely causing the fire.