BATANGAS, Philippines - A 52-year-old heavy equipment operator died when the road grader he was driving fell into a deep ravine in Agoncillo town, Tuesday morning.
 
Chester Villafuerte, Emergency Response Unit head of Red Cross-Batangas, identified the victim as Fidel Maala, resident of Barangay Sta. Cruz, Alitagtag town and an employee of Agoncillo Municipal Engineering Office.
 
Maala had just finished grading the road and was maneuvering the heavy equipment vehicle when he lost control of the vehicle, which eventually plunged into a 200-feet deep ravine in Sitio Binigtal, Barangay San Jacinto, around 11:30 a.m..
 
Maala died on the spot.

The local Red Cross chapter said it took them some time to retrieve the victim’s body from the vehicle because of the ravine is too steep.