2 workers dead, 2 hurt in cave-in

MANILA, Philippines - Two construction workers died while two others were injured when loose soil collapsed on them as they worked on the foundations for another building at the compound of the Maligaya Elementary School in Quezon City yesterday afternoon.

Moises Sancho died on the spot while Rogelio Abraham died while undergoing treatment at Neopolitan Hospital after they were retrieved from the site, said Chief Inspector Benjamin Elenzano, head of the Homicide Investigation Section of the Quezon City Police District.

Elenzano identified the two injured workers as Jorie Naparan and Rodel Bermello, who were brought to the FEU Hospital.

According to Elenzano, the incident happened at around 2:15 p.m. at a construction site for an extension building of Maligaya Elementary School.

He said the excavation was already about 25 feet deep. It already had steel bars lining the sides but workers had yet to pour cement into it.

However, at past 2 p.m. yesterday, the loose soil reportedly collapsed on the four men in the excavation. Some of the steel bars had reportedly even trapped the construction workers.

He said it took more than an hour to retrieve the four men from under the debris. No student was injured in the incident.        – Reinir Padua