Three miners, including preacher, found dead inside Benguet mine
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/09/2008 7:51 PM
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| Entrance to the Itogon mine where three died due to gas poisoning |
Three small-scale miners, including a preacher, were found dead inside a mine in Itogon town in Benguet province.
The three who died of gas poisoning were identified as Virginio Singwa, 38 and a mechanic and a preacher in Bua church; Roel Singwa, 32, a pocket miner and Roger Rillera, 45 from Bauang, La Union.
The three died in a private mine in First Gate, Antamok Tram in Itogon reportedly owned by a Juanito Asiong.
The three reportedly went inside the mine’s tunnel Friday morning to conduct an ocular inspection. The three who were reportedly not expert miners were said to have forgotten to open the blowers that were supposed to remove the poisonous fumes from the mine.
Singwa’s wife said that she got worried Friday evening when his husband failed to return. She immediately reported the matter to police.
When they saw the miners’ vehicle near the portal of the mine they immediately launched a search operation.
The bodies of the three were discovered about 50 meters below ground level inside the tunnel Sunday morning.
The remains of Virginio and Roel Singwa were taken to Bua church while the relatives of Rillera from La Union were being awaited at the Baguio public cemetery.
A mine tragedy recently occurred in a separate mine in Itogon town last September. Waters at the height of Typhoon Niña flooded Goldfield Antamok mine and trapped several miners. Six miners died, while 16 were rescued in the incident. With a report from Philip Erpelo, ABS-CBN Baguio
