AN EXPLOSION inside a coal mine in a mountain barangay of Argao, Cebu killed two miners.
Victims Avelino Pantojan and Sonny Alberca suffered third-degree burns.
The incident took place around 6 p.m. Sunday in Barangay Linut-od.
Their bodies weren’t pulled out until 2 a.m. Monday because the other miners didn’t want to enter the site to avoid inhaling hazardous gases.
The mine, owned by Dr. Stanley Caminero, is now temporarily closed, said PO1 Rey Antonio Saga.
Police believe the blast was caused by methane gas, but are sending investigators to the area just to be certain.
Aside from trying to determine the cause of the blast, they will also measure the distance from the entrance of the mine to the blast site.
Though the blast happened last Sunday, it was only yesterday afternoon that the police learned of the incident. A relative of one of the victims reported it.
PO1 Saga said no one from the mine informed them of the casualties, but Leodegario Alberca, uncle of victim Sonny, told them that management would pay for the burial expenses.
Caminero is also reportedly ready to extend financial assistance to the family of the two miners.
Even Mayor Edsel Galeos told Sun.Star Cebu that he didn’t know about the explosion and is still waiting for word from the police.
A third miner whom Saga failed to identify was with the two victims. But he had gone out to get a mine post.
He then heard a loud blast and saw fire inside the mine, Saga quoted him as saying.
He and the other miners did not immediately enter the mine because they wanted to make sure the methane and carbon monoxide levels were safe for entry.
Pantojan and Sonny were buried last Monday.
In October 2006, a miner was killed while three of his co-workers suffered third-degree burns when an explosion occurred inside a coal mine in the neighboring barangay of Balaas.
Saga said Linut-od, like Balaas, is a far-flung barangay close to the boundary of Dalaguete town.
In December 2005, eight miners were killed when an explosion trapped them inside a coal mine in Sitio Canlawilao, Barangay Dumalan, Dalaguete. (MEA with GMD)
