Miner killed as foot bridge breaks

TAGUM CITY, Philippines—For ignoring the warnings, a person was killed and five others were injured when a defective wooden foot bridge in the mining area of Kingking in Pantukan, Compostela Valley, snapped, a local official said Friday.

Rhona Siojo, Pantukan social welfare officer, said six small-scale miners were crossing the foot bridge in Purok Tiogdan around 9 p.m. Wednesday when the ropes holding the wooden planks together snapped.

The victims fell several meters into the river below, Siojo said.

“The bridge was supposedly off-limits to the public due to defects and appropriate barriers were put in place to prevent people from crossing over. The victims apparently ignored the warning and the accident happened,” she said.