Fatal accident briefly disrupts restoration of power downed by Rolly in Albay

LEGAZPI CITY—The ongoing effort to restore electricity in Albay, downed by Supertyphoon Rolly (international name Goni), was briefly marred by the death of a lineman in an accident in Daraga town in the province.

The 53-year-old lineman, Hermes Mayor, accidentally fell off a ladder on Monday (Nov. 9).

Capt. Dexter Panganiban, information officer of the Albay police, said Mayor, employee of Albay Power and Energy Corp. (Apec), was fixing electrical wires in Dona Maria Subdivision at Tagas village in Daraga past noon when the accident happened.

Mayor suffered head injuries and was declared dead at the hospital at 2:15 p.m.

“Mr. Mayor and the rest of our linemen have been working very hard in the frontlines of power restoration since the onslaught of Typhoon Quinta and Typhoon Rolly,” said Lesley Capus, head of corporate communications of Apec.

“Their dedication to work and repair our damaged electricity facilities and to restore power is immeasurable,” Capus said.

Capus earlier said at least 77 percent of electric poles in Albay had been severely damage at the height of Rolly’s onslaught.

Electricity had been restored in only 86 out of 720 villages as of Monday.

TSB