1 dead, 4 hurt in mine collapse

Four miners were trapped after a mine collapsed in sitio Maantud, barangay Dumalan, Dalaguete town, last Wednesday morning, one of them was found dead when they were dug out hours later.

Confirmed dead was Luciano Villacorta, while his fellow miners identified as Melquiades Ybañez, Vileto Villacorta and Ronito Amagan sustained injuries and bruises in different parts of the body.

The four were working for Ebalong Resources and Development Corporation that owned by Yang Tong Yang, a Taiwanese who has been engaged in coal mining for quite sometime already.

Dalaguete policeman Lope Belciña said that massive rains were believed to have softened the coal muck used as cover of the tunnel so that it collapsed at about 9 a.m. Wednesday.

It took until 1 p.m. that same day for the miners to be dug out and recovered with the help of neighbors who took part in the rescue operations.

Villacorta was already dead by the time rescuers got to him.

Belciña said the management of the mining firm shouldered the expenses of the victims while police authorities are still conducting investigation to determine any safety violation by the operators. - Ryan P. Borinaga