Welder falls off bldg under works

CEBU, Philippines – A 55-year-old welder accidentally fell from a building where he was working Friday night.

The victim, Desiderio Avanceñe, a native of Barangay Barili and a resident of Barangay Sambag 1, fell from the rooftop of a building owned by a bank along Osmeña Boulevard. The building is still under construction.

Avanceñe’s co-worker, Romeo Daquido, 44, said moments before the incident, Avanceñe asked that he go down with him to the ground floor to drink water. After drinking, Avanceñe reportedly went back up the building to continue working.

Just a few minutes later, Daquido said he was just surprised to hear a loud thud on the ground floor, prompting him to go out of the building to check. There, he saw Avanceñe sprawled on the ground drenched in his own blood.

Daquido said he immediately alerted the security guard on duty and rushed Avanceñe to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC). Avanceñe was pronounced dead at 7:05 pm.

Doctors attributed the old man’s death to the severity of his head injuries.

Daquido suspected someone might have pushed Avanceñe off the building, but investigation revealed otherwise. –Ryan Christopher O. Sorote/JMO (The Freeman)