A 74-year-old woman died after a crane fell on her while she was sweeping fallen leaves in front of her house in Quezon City on Friday morning.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) identified the victim as Rosalinda Abarca-Mendez of Pagasa compound, Tandang Sora Avenue, in Brgy. Old Balara.
Mendez’s daughter Ruth Avendano told probers she saw her mother go out to sweep the leaves around 5 a.m.
Minutes later, Avendano saw her mother slumped on the pavement—her head almost touching her legs, investigator PO1 Christian Loyola said.
There was also a boom crane part on her body.
Bone fractures
Loyola said Mendez was rushed to General Malvar Hospital where she was declared dead around 5:44 a.m.
Doctors said she sustained lacerations and bone fractures.
The crane came from a construction site of the Novaliches-Balara JV Corp., the QCPD said.
The firm is undertaking the P5.3-billion Novaliches-Balara Aqueduct 4 project.
Chief Insp. Elmer Monsalve said crane operator Danby Boy Batbatan, 30, of Punturin, Valenzuela, and safety officer Edgar Dumalog, 46, of Caloocan City, were now under the custody of the QCPD.—WITH A REPORT FROM LAWRENCE LLACER