One died while 23 persons were hospitalized after an ammonia leak and fire occurred at a cold storage facility in Navotas City on Tuesday.

The Bureau of Fire Protection declared the fire out at Icy Point Cold Storage in Brgy. North Bay Boulevard North at 1:57 am on Tuesday.

In a radio interview, Navotas Fire Marshall Superintendent Jude Delos Reyes said that an explosion that happened at around 12:04 am in the piping system in the control room of a building in the compound had caused the fire.

Navotas City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) head Vonne Villanueva said in a separate radio interview said the valve has been closed.

“For now, we have closed the valve. We couldn’t smell the ammonia anymore and the fire was already out last night,” Villanueva said.

“We are temporarily suspending face-to-face classes in the nearby schools to ensure that the students won’t be affected,” he added.

He said the 11 individuals were rushed to the Tondo Medical Center and 12 were sent to the Navotas City Hospital. Jaspearl Tan/DMS