7 found dead inside mine tunnel in Benguet town

BAGUIO CITY — Seven men, three of them barely out of their teens, were found dead inside a tunnel in the Benguet mining town of Itogon, in an incident that police are investigating as possible gas poisoning.

The Itogon Municipal Police Station said the incident may have occurred on Sept. 30 in Sitio Dalicno in Barangay Ampucao.

Found dead were Bryan Campos Madrid, 18; Kenjie Igaan Mangayen, 19; Orviel Kiwingan Valdez, 22; Crisanto Igaan Gapacan Jr., 19; Hill Limong Padon, 25; Alvin Lazaro Daniel, 21; and Leonardo Bacuteng Pino, 62.

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A witness said he was alerted about people trapped in a tunnel who were exposed to poisonous gas. The witness went to the site, confirmed that people were trapped inside, and sought assistance.

At around 11 a.m. on Thursday, rescuers retrieved the seven men from the tunnel, all without signs of life. The tragedy was reported to the police at around 12:30 p.m. the same day.

Police have yet to determine the type and source of the gas as well as the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The investigation is ongoing. /coa