Death of 2 men in Tabuk City: 'They could have been gas poisoned'

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Two construction workers lost their lives after they were gas poisoned in Barangay Balawag on Tuesday afternoon, March 5, 2024.

PNP Tabuk Spokesperson, PMSg. Prodencio Atas relayed to GURU Press Cordillera that around 2:00 p.m., three construction workers – George Garita, Ernesto Palason Ban-nua, 43, and Eduardo Havier Ramirez, 63 – were at the area.

Garita recounted to the police that Ban-nua went down the well which is approximately 9-meter deep. He described that the latter didn’t wear any protective gear and that while the 43-year-old was inside the hole, he suddenly got dizzy, alerting his co-workers of his struggle.

In response, Ramirez attempted to rescue Ban-nua by going down the well too. But just like his colleague, the 63-year-old felt dizzy while he was inside.

Garita tried to rescue the senior citizen by pulling the rope he used to go down. However, he was not able to help him because Ramirez already lost grasp of the rope and and fell down back to the bottom of the well. This prompted him to call the attention of the barangay officials who responded to the area together with the community members.

Ban-nua and Ramirez were later lifted from the hole and were rushed to the Kalinga Provincial Hospital.  Unfortunately, the two were declared dead at 3:25 p.m.

Police investigators say that the two victims could have been poisoned by lethal gas while they were inside the well. Investigation is still on-going.