A tale of 2 dead workers

A construction worker died just before midnight last Saturday after he accidentally touched a live high-voltage electrical wire in a construction site in Paco, Manila.

Reports at the Western Police District Homicide Section identified the victim as Nicolas Patambaga, 21, stay-in worker of the Triple 8 construction company.

According to reports, Patambaga was allegedly drinking with several of his fellow workers at their construction barracks in Plaza Dilao where they were working on a project for the Department of Public Works and Highways, when the accident happened.

Police said that at about 11:30 a.m., Patambaga and his fellow worker Miguel Padrigon, were joking and fooling around inside their barracks while waiting for Edwin Binasalbas, another worker, to return from a nearby store where he was asked to buy more beer.

According to homicide probers, while fooling around with Padrigon, the already drunk Patambaga accidentally touched the high-voltage live wire. He died at the Philippine General Hospital.

Police said Patambaga was not immediately given first-aid treatment as his fellow workers thought he was still joking when he got electrocuted.

Probers are looking into either foul play or negligence behind Patambaga’s death.

Meanwhile, another construction worker was stabbed dead by still unidentified men in Quezon City early yesterday morning.

Victim Samuel Hamindang, 28, single, of 331 P. Herrera Street, Tondo, Manila sustained stab wounds in different parts of the body.

The victim, gasping for breath, was discovered by Amancio Fuentes, a security guard of Grace Village in Balintawak, Quezon City, along School Street, corner Samuel D. Street, in the same subdivision.

The security guard found the victim lying on his back in a pool of blood.

He immediately sought assistance from the watchmen of Barangay Kaingin and brought the victim to the Quezon City General Hospital.

The victim died while undergoing treatment.– Mike Frialde, Pia Lee Brago