Painter zapped while working at hospital

A painter who was working on the gutter of the fourth floor of the Chong Hua Hospital was zapped after coming into contact with live wire last Wednesday morning.

Romeo Loyola, 32, of sitio Ylaya barangay Talavera, Toledo City, was painting using a long polo roller with a metal tip when he hit a high-tension wire.

He was zapped and slumped on the roof in the fourth floor, but he still managed to stand up even if his shirt was already aflame and shouted for help.

Loyola was rushed by his co-workers to the hospital's emergency room but was later transferred to the Intensive Care Unit where he is said to be recuperating.

He sustained burns in his upper body and right arm, the tension wire he hit was said to have emanated as much as 23,000 volts of electricity.

Meanwhile Homicide Section policemen investigating the incident were not allowed to go inside the hospital premises because they did not pay the parking fee security guard Roland Donasco demanded from them.

Homicide Chief Mario Monilar said that his men left the vehicle outside before they were allowed inside.

Last year, Monilar cited the hospital management for obstruction of justice after they were not allowed entry to investigate a victim of a developing incident.

But the case was dismissed at the city prosecutor's level. - Ryan P. Borinaga