Toxic gas kills miners inside Benguet tunnel

BENGUET, Philippines  – Two small-scale miners died of  poisonous  gas inside a Benguet mine tunnel.

Itogon town police said stay-in pocket miners Simeon Wakit Dulawan, 36, native of Lusod, Kabayan town and Roy Killas, 23 from Kabangsalan, Kayapa town in Nueva Vizcaya, together with other miners entered a mine tunnel owned by Paul Wakit Dulawan at Nagawa Bugayong Mine Portal in Ampucao barangay at around 1:30 p.m/ Monday to work.

Miner Tony Sina-no said  that while inside, he sensed poisonous gas has already accumulated prompting him to back off, but Dulawan and Killas already fainted.

Sina-no and others tried to bring the fallen duo but the nauseating and choking odor prompted them to run outside and seek help.

Itogon policemen and other rescuers from Philex Mines and Bureau of Fire Protection and police auxiliaries retrieved the bodies of the victims nine hours after the two fainted. - Artemio A. Dumlao