2 firefighters, retired cop dead; 7 hurt in Quezon highway crash

LUCENA CITY, Philippines – Two firefighters and a retired policeman were killed after the vehicle they were on was accidentally bumped by a Manila-bound passenger bus along the Maharlika Highway in Lopez town in Quezon province Friday night, police said.

Lopez police identified the victims as Fire Officer 3 Ronaldo Alcala and Senior Fire Officer 2 Cleto Nataño, both assigned at Tagkawayan fire station; and retired Police Insp. Juanito Untiveros, also a resident of Tagkawayan.

Report said they were traveling back home aboard a Mitsubishi Adventure van being driven by Alcala when they were accidentally hit by an oncoming passenger bus being driven by Julio Mayores in Barangay (village) Pansol around 9:40 p.m.

Upon impact, the sports utility van, consequently bumped a Nissan Urvan being driven by Senen Regencia. The wayward bus also rammed into a house at the roadside.

The injured were identified by police as Fire Officer 3 Roderick Odi, also a passenger of the van and Reynold Talain, Aimee Lerum, Merlex Mendegorin, Dandy Severa, Ariel Cris Principe and Lenon Eri Tagulinao, all bus passengers.

Odi was critically wounded and was taken to a hospital in Naga City in Camarines Sur, according to Senior Police Officer 1 Roman Edora, Lopez police investigator.

It was learned from a relative of Alcala that the firemen had just come from the Bureau of Fire Protection regional office in Laguna province, following up some documents for their promotion.

The retired police officer, who was also a town mate, rode with them after doing follow-up on his retirement pension.