ASINGAN – A water refilling station here was rocked by an explosion when a man tossed a fragmentation grenade inside it at about 7 p.m. last Monday.

Supt. Fidel Drapeza, chief of police said no one was hurt in the explosion that happened at the Aqua Mega Mineral Water refilling station located on Solaria street in Poblacion East, only less than 20 meters away from the police station and 10 meters away from the municipal hall.

The water refilling station is owned by Mrs. Eugene de Leon. She said she does not know any reason for the grenade attack on her establishment.

“I was inside the refilling station a few seconds before the explosion,” she said, adding that she saved herself unknowingly when she proceeded to their house at the back of the store.

Drapeza said policemen who rushed to the scene recovered the firing pin as well as several shrapnel of what looked like a fragmentation grenade.

Juliet Zareno, 40, cashier, and Lyndon Sandiego, helper, who were inside the refilling station, were able to dash out before the grenade exploded and were unscathed. Zareno however could not yet talk to investigators as she was still in shock.

Investigators gathered that a man, about 25 to 30 years old, who alighted from a black motorcycle driven by another and inquired from Zareno how much a water refill costs, tossed the grenade.

The man was not carrying any water container, the store helpers said.

He simply pulled out the grenade from his pocket, scaring Zareno who rushed outside screaming followed by Sandiego.

A few seconds later, the grenade exploded with the suspect immediately rushing to their motorcycle that had no plate number and sped off.

Drapeza theorized the grenade thrower was not really intending to harm people but may have been merely delivering a message.