5 miners die of suffocation inside tunnel in Nueva Vizcaya town

INQUIRER files

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – Five small-scale miners were found dead inside a tunnel at the FCF Mining Corporation compound in Barangay Runruno, Quezon town in this province, early Tuesday, June 24, authorities reported.

The victims have been identified as Daniel Segundo Paggana, 47; Lipihon Ayudan, 56; and Florencio Indopia, 63, all residents of Barangay Runruno; Alfred Bilibli from Maddela, Quirino; and Joval Bantiyan from Barangay Cabuan, also in Maddela.

The bodies were discovered shortly after 1 a.m. by Russel Tumapang, 29, a local resident who entered the tunnel and found the miners unresponsive.

He immediately alerted village chief John Babliing.

Investigators said the miners had been conducting alleged illegal operations at a depth of about 300 meters when they became trapped, likely due to lack of oxygen.

Personnel from the Quezon Police Station, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office went to the site to help in the retrieval operation. /apl