Worker killed while fixing elevator at Zamboanga shopping mall

by Julie Alipala, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Nov 27, 2018

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A laborer died on Tuesday morning while trying to fix an elevator cable line in one of the shopping malls here.

Chief Insp. Elmer Solon, chief of the Zamboanga City Police Station 11, identified the fatality as Guillermo Barason Escapre, 38, of Barangay Mampang, this city.

Solon said Escapre’s body was cut into two due to the weight of the elevator that fell on him.

“The victim was cutting the cable line of the elevator, without noticing the weight of the elevator balancer with an estimated weight of 500 kgs. The balancer of the elevator was still attached and still above the position of the victim, that upon cutting, fell on the victim that caused the amputation of the body,” Solon said.

The incident happened around 10 a.m. inside the elevator shaft of the mall along La Purisima Street.

The mall was closed as it was under construction. Escapre was employed by a junk shop, to do dismantling operations inside the mall.

Solon said an investigation was ongoing to determine if there was foul play.

Escapre’s family has been notified about the incident.