4 coal miners suffer second-degree burns in accident

CEBU CITY -- A coal mine blast in the mountain village of Lawaan, Danao City, Cebu on Saturday has left four men injured.

The incident raised concerns anew over the safety procedures of the small-scale mining site, after it was suspended two years ago.

SPO1 Lolito Oliverio of Danao City Police Station identified the victims as Arnel Bacang, 28, Rolito Capote, 36, Joseph Manzo, 18, and Cereno Lugas, 56.

The incident happened past 1 p.m. after one of the victims “accidentally” lit a lighter while an electrical short circuit occurred below.

The lighter flame ignited concentrated methane gas, which is highly explosive, causing an explosion.

The miners, who were trapped in the 50-foot-deep hole, were immediately rescued and sent to Danao Provincial Hospital.

Three of the miners were seriously injured after sustaining second degree burns and had to be transferred to a hospital in Cebu City, Oliverio said.

The other miner, who was declared out of harm’s way, stayed in the hospital and told police it was their first time to meet an accident.

The victims, all residents in the area, had been working for some time in the mining site, situated 27 kilometers from the town proper.

“They didn’t expect it,” Oliverio said, adding he still has to contact the owner, Adelina Hermita, if the victims were insured.

Police will investigate if the suspension order on the mining site issued two years ago was lifted.

The Department of Energy (DOE) in Central Visayas suspended the mine after three miners died after falling 100 meters into the coal mine on June 25, 2010.

The three were going down the hole using a drum, but the cable that held the drum snapped.

DOE in Central Visayas issued the indefinite suspension order on the mine for being “lenient in implementing safety regulations.” (DSM/Sun.Star Cebu)