3 miners dead, 4 hurt in gas poisoning, slide

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Two pocket miners died of gas poisoning while another one died in a landslide in separate mining sites in Tublay and Itogon towns.

Police identified two of the fatalities as Francis Michael Sagudin, 39, of Barangay Batan, and Marlon Baristo Agsalo, 21, of Barangay Betwag, both in Kabayan town.

Probers learned that the two victims together with other miners went inside a mine site in Sitio Piket, Barangay Caponga, Tublay town, during heavy downpour on Friday.

The mine site is owned y Elvis Depaynos, 36, of La Trinidad town, police said.

Police said the miners went out of the tunnel around 4 p.m. on the same day. However, the two victims decided to return to check on the subway tunnel’s condition and find out if it would be affected by the heavy downpour.

The duo, however, failed to come out, prompting their fellow miners to follow them in the tunnel and found them lying dead on the ground. Last July 12, at the height of heavy rains, another miner died while four others were injured when a landslide hit the area near their mine site in Sitio Udoudan, Barangay Ampucao, Itogon town.

The dead victim was identified as Joven Robiz Bao-anan, 30, pocket miner.

Injured were Manuel Balang Diano, 30; Amos Robiz Bao-anan, 21; Glenn Bao-anan Balao, 18; and a 17-year-old boy from Nueva Vizcaya.

It was learned that the miners were resting in a temporary house beside their mine site when the mountain at the back of the house eroded, covering the temporary structure with mud.
Bao-anan died while his companions were rescued alive by barangay officials. (Zaldy Comanda)

Read more at http://www.tempo.com.ph/2015/07/20/3-miners-dead-4-hurt-in-gas-poisoning-slide/#Oujbqx8t29OBtY1z.99