5 miners saved from Masbate mine pit collapse; rescue ops for 2 ongoing

Aroroy town in Masbate (Google maps)

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay — Five miners were rescued while emergency workers are still in the process of rescuing two other miners after they were buried in a shallow pit in the mining town of Aroroy in Masbate province Wednesday morning, police said.

Based on the Aroroy police report, the mine workers were at a panning area in a private land when the soil above them crumbled, burying the workers in Sitio (sub-village) Bagong Sirang, Barangay (village) Panique.

Chief Inspector Ariel D. Neri, Aroroy police chief, said a portion of the tunnel collapsed at around 8:30 a.m. but the report reached their office at around 10:30 a.m.

Rescuers were able to retrieve five of the miners who are now being treated at Aroroy Municipal Hospital. Three of the five were rescued an hour after the accident, while two of the survivors were rescued at 11 a.m.

Firemen, personnel from Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the police, and Filminera Resources Corporation continue rescue efforts for the remaining two miners, according to Neri.

The identities of the miners were not yet available while investigation continues to determine the cause of the mining pit collapse.

Aroroy is one of the areas in Bicol found to be rich in gold deposits, with small-scale mining operations also prevalent in the area.  SFM