1 missing, 3 hurt in Danao mine accident

A security guard of Ski Energy Resource Incorporated (right) stands watch on the coal terminal entrance gate to prevent outsiders, including the police and mediamen, from entering the company’s premises. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA

A 20-year-old miner was missing and is feared dead while three others were injured when a section of a coal mine in Danao City in northern Cebu caved in yesterday morning, authorities said .

Police identified the missing miner as Melvin Landero, a resident of Barangay Dungga, around 20 kilometers from the center of Danao.

Three other miners were taken to the Danao City Provincial Hospital, said PO1 Joseph Aledon, Danao police investigator. They were: Ruben Malabago of Barangay Cahumayan; Isidro

Bacang, 22, of Barangay Mantiha; and Ranil Villanueva of barangay Cahumayan.

Aledon said two other miners—twin brothers Edgardo and Eduardo Maying—were unhurt and managed to crawl out of the collapsed tunnel.

The six were working at the coal mine owned by Ski Energy Resource Inc. in Barangay Dungga.

Aledon said they had yet to verify if the company had a permit to conduct coal-mining operations in the area.

He said he was told by the Maying brothers that they were with Landero inside the tunnel about 400 meters from the entrance. The three other miners were in another section of the tunnel.

At 6:25 a.m., the Maying brothers claimed that Landero heard a thud and warned them that the tunnel was about to collapse.

Landero was the first to run, using the main path of the tunnel leading back to the entrance. But Landero was hit and partially buried by a boulder.

Aledon said the Maying brothers tried to help Landero but the boulder was too big. They decided to leave him when other portions of the tunnel seemed about to collapse.

According to Aledon, Eduardo heard something falling Friday in the portion of the tunnel that collapsed on Saturday.

He reported the matter to their foreman Ranil Banzon on Friday but the latter ignored  him, the police officer said.

Aledon said they will invite the foremen, engineers and other officials of the mining company to shed light on the Eduardo’s claim.

He said police investigators were not able to talk to mining officials because company security guards did not allow them inside the mining premises.

Aledon said the police were not allowed to supervise the search-and-rescue operation undertaken by the mining company.

Dulsisimo Alerta Jr., chairman of barangay Dungga, claimed that a similar accident had happened in the mining site.

Representatives from the Danao Provincial Health Office arrived at around 3 p.m. yesterday to extend financial assistance to the three victims, but later withheld their funds because a representative from Verlo construction showed up at the Vicente Sotto Medical Center  to pay for the victims’ bills.

Ruben Malabago, one of the injured survivors was able to undergo an  x-ray scan ahead of his two fellow survivors Ranel Villanueva and Isidro Bacang. Jennifer Malabago, Ruben’s mother explained to CDN how he had his x-Ray first because they had enough money for the x-ray procedure. The two others initially wanted to just leave because they had no money.

LONG, PAINFUL WAIT. Relatives of Melvin Landero, the miner trapped in the rubble of a collapsed mine shaft, shed tears as they await word on efforts to find their kin. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Villanueva and Bacang even asked money from Malabago’s mother so they could go back to Danao.

Prior to being brought to VSMMC, they were brought to the Danao District Hospital but were sooner had  brought to a city hospital for further examinations. They arrived VSMMC at 11 a.m.

Before Villanueva and Bacang could even go home, nurses Rose Jao and Glen Tirado with Dr. Manuel Purog from Danao PHO arrived to take care of  their expenses.

However, Jao was able to tell CDN that Verlo Construction would be paying for all the hospital fees plus an additional 1,000 pesos to each victim for their fare. Verlo also reimbursed Malabago’s hospital fees.

Malabago sustained injuries on the chest and waist, while Villanueva sustained knee aches. Bacang, on the other hand, sustained abrasions on his head. The three were told that they didn’t have to be admitted as no major injury was detected, Danao Provincial Health office Dr. Manuel Purog said.