BATANGAS , Philippines – Three of six construction workers trapped while cleaning a septic tank in Malvar town died of suffocation yesterday morning, officials said.
Senior Inspector Gaudencio Aguilera, Malvar police chief, identified the fatalities as Romulo Alvarez, Nardito Igloso and Ronald Alimbo, all construction workers of EZP Technohub Mabz Builders.
Reports said three workers were working in the septic tank in a warehouse and were about to remove the scaffoldings when it collapsed, pinning the two victims at the bottom.
Upon learning of the incident, three workers went inside the septic tank to save their co-workers, but they, too, collapsed after suffocating.
Alvarez, Igloso and Alimbo were declared dead on arrival at the Metro Lipa Hospital, while Genaro Igloso, Terasio Ondoy and Librado Jaranilla were treated for minor injuries.
Police said they would summon the head of security of the LIMA Technology Center in Barangay Santiago for failing to report the incident to the police.
Television news teams were also prevented to take footages of the construction site.
Rescue teams from the Malvar and Lipa fire departments responded to the incident. – With Ed Amoroso