A member of a police ordnance team was injured after almost 3,000 kilos of black powder exploded in his face during a firecracker disposal procedure in Cavite province, Thursday morning.

Police Officer 2 Richard Emil, member of the police’s Explosive and Ordnance Division (EOD), was tasked to light up the three tons of black firecracker powder with a matchstick in an empty lot in Barangay Cabuco, Trece Martires City during a disposal procedure at about 10 a.m.

The black powder blasted as soon as Emil has lighted it up, burning his face.

The policeman was immediately rushed to Mark James Hospital for immediate medical attention.

He suffered from first degree burns on his hands and face, Starmaker Task Force head, Senior Superintendent Efren de Castro said.

The explosives were recovered from the Starmaker firecracker factory, which exploded in January, killing 11 workers and damaging an estimated P40-million worth of properties within the city.

The Starmaker factory said it lost about a P100 million, which covers fireworks materials, buildings, and equipment that were obliterated in the blast.

The disposal procedure was witnessed by around 70 members of the Cavite Police Provincial Office and the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, along with police from Camp Crame.

Trece Martires Mayor Jun Sagun said it was just an accident, but admitted there was negligence on the part of police officials who were tasked to properly dispose of the explosives. -- report from Tina Ganzon, ABS-CBN Southern Tagalog