Five Miners Die of Suffocation Inside Tunnel in Nueva Vizcaya
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — Early Tuesday morning, authorities reported a tragic incident where five small-scale miners died of suffocation inside a tunnel. The unfortunate event occurred at the FCF Mining Corporation site in Barangay Runruno, Quezon town.
The victims have been identified as Daniel Segundo Paggana, 47; Lipihon Ayudan, 56; and Florencio Indopia, 63, all residents of Barangay Runruno. The other two were Alfred Bilibli and Joval Bantiyan, both from Barangay Cabuan in Maddela, Quirino.
Discovery and Response
Around 1 a.m., a local resident named Russel Tumapang, 29, entered the tunnel and found the five miners unresponsive. He immediately informed the barangay captain, John Babliing, who alerted local authorities for assistance.
Investigators revealed that the miners were conducting alleged illegal mining operations approximately 300 meters underground. It is believed that they became trapped due to a lack of oxygen, which led to their suffocation.
Rescue and Retrieval Efforts
Responding promptly, personnel from the Quezon Police Station, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office arrived at the site. They worked together to safely retrieve the victims’ bodies from the tunnel.
Local leaders expressed their condolences to the families and called for stricter enforcement of mining regulations to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
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