2 die of gas poisoning in Benguet mine tunnel

BAGUIO CITY-Two small-scale miners died of suspected gas poisoning inside a mining tunnel Itogon town in Benguet province on Monday, police said on Tuesday.

Reports said Robert Gorteza, 28, and Anthony Salas, 30, were found dead by their fellow miners in a tunnel in Sitio (subvillage) Millsite in Gumatdang village at 1 p.m.

Their companions sought them out after Gorteza and Salas failed to come out of the tunnel after working there for an hour on Monday.

The miners, reports said, proceeded to the tunnels despite warnings issued by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office following heavy rains in Itogon for close to a week. RJLA