ONE person died while two others were hospitalized for suffocation while digging a deep-well in Zamboanga del Norte province, the police said Friday, December 7.

Chief Inspector Helen Galvez, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula information officer, identified the fatality as Alexander Ignacio, 46, a resident of Poblacion village, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Injured were Tirso Barsabal, 54, and Angelito Tabanao, 55. They were hospitalized.

Galvez said the incident happened around 2 p.m. in Tapalan village, Salug, Zamboanga del Norte.

She said the victims were hired by Juanito Somoso, the father-in-law of Tabanao, to dig a 45-feet deep-well.

The victims suffocated when they used a gasoline-powered pump to siphon water while digging, the police officer added.

She said the victims, except for Ignacio, managed to climb out of the deep-well despite difficulty in breathing and dizziness.

Ignacio suffered severe injuries as he collapsed and fell while climbing out of the well.

The neighbors come to their rescue and rushed them but Ignacio failed to reach the hospital alive. (SunStar Philippines)