9 dead in Antique coal mine collapse

Sunstar Iloilo

Friday, July 17, 2015

MANILA (Updated) -- Nine persons were confirmed dead and four others remained missing Friday after a landslide occurred anew at the Panian Pit of Semirara coal mine operated by the DM Consunji Inc. (DMCI) in Semirara Island, Caluya in Antique province.
Ricky Lavega, a representative of the Provincial Government to the Tripartite Monitoring Team of the coal mine operation, said the landslide happened around 4 a.m. Friday.
Some of the fatalities were identified as Ricardo Panes, Arnold Umac and a certain Nodo, all heavy equipment operators.
Lavega said the weather was fine and there was no rain since Wednesday.
Regional Office of Civil Defense director Rosario Cabrera said there were a total of 13 workers at the collapsed mining site at that time and four other workers were able to run to safety.
The landslide occurred in the same area of the Panian Pit that collapsed on February 13, 2013, where several persons died and scores of others were buried alive.

Three bulldozers, one giant backhoe and dump trucks were buried by the landslide, Lavega added.
"The victims were brought to the Semirara hospital on plastic bags and family members of the victims were called to identify them," Lavega said, adding that the management of the coal mine has barred civilians from getting near the mine site.
There’s no report of survivors yet but it is estimated that around 50 people are working in the coal mine for the night shift.
Antique Governor Rhodora Cadiao said she ordered the operator to stop work at the Panian Pit until the missing workers have been found.
"They promised me they'll stop their mining operations in that area until they have recovered all the missing," Cadiao said by telephone, adding she deployed a Semirara town emergency-response team to the accident site to get more details.
For its part, the Semirara management condoled with the families of the victims as it vowed to give them full support.
The firm said it is also coordinating with the national and local authorities to keep them updated on the search and rescue efforts and other necessary measures, including ensuring the adequate supply of coal for power generation since it has stopped operations in the affected area n compliance with an order from the Department of Energy.
"The company is investigating the cause of the accident in coordination with authorities," it said, adding that advisories will be issued regularly to keep the public informed.
Coal makes up for about a third of energy supply in the Philippines. (PNA/AP/SDR/VR/Sunnex)
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