‘Fallen’ glass panels kill guard, injure 11 persons in Bacolod City

BY ERWIN P. NICAVERA, GMA News, May, 4, 2017

A security guard died while 11 others were injured, including two minors and an elderly man, after glass panels fell on them at Barangay Mansilingan in Bacolod City on Wednesday.

The 44-year old security guard was identified as Victor Lasañas, who died after sustaining severe injuries, particularly on the head.

Senior Police Officer 2 Leo Anthony Genita, Bacolod City Police Station 7 investigator, said the workers were loading at least 48 pieces of glass panels worth almost P63,000 to a 10-wheeler truck.

The panels, measuring 11 by seven feet, weigh at least five tons and were due to be delivered to a client in the city.

Genita said the workers were about to tie the glass panels together when these fell off the truck.

He added that the workers “failed to put the materials properly on the storage rack thus, it collapsed.”

The investigation further showed there was no way out for the victims to escape because they were trapped between the truck and walls of some houses.

The injured victims, who were already discharged, were identified as: Alfredo Adam, 26; Roland Esparaz, 29; Argie Gigavene, 34; Eugene Angelez, 20 and his 16-year-old brother; Fernando Cisaldo Jr., 18; Reymark Deroa, 18 and his 17-year old brother; and Ronnie Domdomaya, 56; Cris Amalla, 25.

The 75-year old father of the glass panel retailer was also rushed to the hospital for sustaining injuries.

The owner of the establishment, Ivrahim Gallego, who went home from abroad recently and was just starting his first retail business in the city, extended financial assistance to the victims.

Authorities said loading of heavy materials like glass panels was supposed to be done mechanically and that the owner may face charges for negligence. —