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Sunday, October 30, 2005
4 rescuers died while recovering bodies in mine tunnel
DAVAO CITY -- Toxic fumes killed four rescuers who tried to retrieve dead bodies of trapped miners from a collapsed gold mine tunnel in Mt. Diwalwal, Monkayo, Compostela Valley, officials said Saturday.
The bodies of the four rescuers have been recovered, including another miner, who died after the tunnel collapsed late Wednesday, a presidential aide said.
The rescuers were identified as Emmanuel Laurente, Jenecel Miguel, Jerwin Miguel and Kenneth Miguel. Another miner, Victor Condesa's remains was also retrieved.
Condesa's body was retrieved at around 2:25 p.m. Friday at the Licayan tunnel while that of the four were retrieved at around 8:40 p.m. at the Sunshine tunnel owned by the JB Management and Mining Corporation (JBMMC).
"The four rescuers died after inhaling toxic fumes, while trying to retrieve dead bodies in the tunnel. We still don't know what kind of toxic gas is present in the tunnel," Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza said.
He said a team of experts from the Lepanto Mining Corp., arrived Saturday to help retrieve bodies still trapped inside the tunnel.
Officials gave up hope of finding any survivors in the tunnel three days after it collapsed and trapped many miners inside.
Atilano Adi of the regional Civil Defense office said the operation has now shifted from rescue to the retrieval of cadavers.
"At least ten bodies have been recovered so far and 11 miners were rescued in the area," Adi said.
As of Saturday, official report placed the number of fatalities at 10 while two were injured and seven still trapped inside the tunnel after an explosion occurred at the Destino 2 Sunshine Portal on Wednesday night.
Among those believed still trapped inside are Jerry Calamba, Al Placio, Raul Hugo, Rey Hugo, Nemesio delos Santos, Rodolfo Cabrera, Jeory del Ocampo, Roque Aniñon, Mardonio Sistonia Jr., and Marcelino Davis.
Nine miners from the nearby Licayan tunnel have been rescued. They are Dodong Mapara, Felix Tampos, Rudy Plomo, Jun Gallardo, Rex Al Midilla, Julius Urabia, Jun Arco, Tata Arco, and Raul Abiado.
Village leader Franco Tito said a huge explosion trapped as many as 50 miners inside the tunnel.
"We have reports saying that as many as 50 miners were trapped and could all be dead," he said, adding, the tunnel collapsed following a huge explosion.
"There was an explosion inside the cave and the tunnel gave in, trapping everybody," Tito said.
But Reynaldo Espanola, vice president and spokesman of JB Mining said about seven other miners were still in the mine, disputing Tito's reports that dozens remained buried in the tunnel in the mountain village of Mount Diwalwal.
It was not clear whether any of those trapped could still be alive in the approximately one-kilometer-long mine tunnel.
However, Espanola said, "if there were that many, there would be crying widows here now - but there aren't."
Espanola also disputed reports, attributed to other survivors, that a dynamite cache in the tunnel caused the blast. He declined to comment when asked if the company ever used explosives.
"The cause of the explosion is still undetermined," he said, adding that engineers have speculated that a pocket of methane gas exploded.
Provincial Police Director Nestor Quinsay said he sent a bomb squad to site Saturday to determine whether explosives caused the blast.
Espanola hinted that the discrepancy in the casualty figures may have been due to political rivalry. The village chief lost to the brother of the mine owner in last year's mayoral election in Monkayo town - a jurisdiction that includes Mt. Diwalwal - he said.
"I did not invent these figures," Tito said. "It did not come from me. What do I have to gain if I lie?"
It said it is investigating the blast.
Most rescue work was suspended Friday due to toxic fumes, but said vacuuming gases from the tunnel and pumping in fresh air had allowed rescuers recover the four bodies later in the day.
Five miners' bodies were recovered after the explosion late Wednesday and two more on Thursday, Espanola said.
The body of a worker in a nearby tunnel, not owned by the company, was recovered Friday, police said.
Shut down
Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered government agencies Saturday to shut down all illegal mining operations in Mt. Diwalwal following the recent tragedy and the continued unsafe mining practices.
The President shares the grief of the bereaved families in the grave tragedy, and wants a strict enforcement of regulations that would forestall a reoccurrence.
"I share the grief of the bereaved families in the grave tragedy and I want a strict enforcement of regulations that would forestall a recurrence. Our people on the ground will try to save lives and prevent the loss of more in this gold rush area," Arroyo said in a statement.
The Office of Civil Defense and other concerned agencies are moving ahead and expediting the search and rescue operations to save as many lives as possible, the President said.
Arroyo said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is conducting an in-depth probe into the incident to determine any culpabilities and violations of law.
Mining accidents are common near Mt. Diwalwal, which is believed to sit atop a rich gold deposit.
An estimated $1.8 billion worth of gold reserves remain untapped in the 5,000-hectare Mt. Diwalwal, where some 30,000 small-scale miners operate, many illegally.(Ben Tesiorna of Sun.Star Davao and Al Jacinto of Sunnex)
(October 30, 2005 issue)
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