2 dead from gas poisoning in Benguet mine

BAGUIO, Philippines – Two miners died of gas poisoning on Tuesday night, August 14, in Itogon, Benguet.

The two miners – 22-year-old Astrid Guitelen and Jomar Lay-os, 23, both from Sagada, Mountain Province – entered the mine tunnel at 5 pm on Tuesday to fix the mine blower. 

When the two failed to return after 4 hours, their co-miners followed them in side the mine operated by Angie Ognayon, located in Level 70 in Antamok, Ucab, Itogon. 

Guitelen and Lay-os were found  200 meters below the entrance of the tunnel  and brought to the Baguio General Hospital where they were declared dead. Their bodies were brought back to Sagada on Wednesday, August 15.

Meanwhile, 4 other people were killed in the Cordillera region due to the heavy rains and winds since Monday.

At past 11 am on Tuesday,  August 14, a landslide caused a red Isuzu Elf truck to fall into a ravine in Cattubo, Atok, Benguet. Rescuers found driver Rodrigo Navalta Maon dead while his passenger was brought to a hospital in Buguias town.

Police also recovered the remains of 19-year-old Krystel Martin at the Agaynec River in Tuba Poblacion. She fell into an open box culvert at Badiwan in Tuba along Marcos Highway on Monday.

The remains of Mencio Abol Amitem, who fell into a canal along Marcos Highway, and of Luvina Julian Kidkid, who was buried in a landslide, in Bedbed, Mankayan, have yet to be recovered.

Victor Mating, a 39-year-old farmer, was also killed when his Elf truck fell into a ravine at Lubo, Kibungan, Benguet last Saturday afternoon. – Rappler.com