At least 3 dead, 6 missing in coal mine accident on Semirara Island

GMA News Online
July 17, 2015 9:37am

(Updated 11:45 a.m.) At least three miners were reported killed while six others remain missing after an open-pit coal mine on Semirara Island collapsed before dawn Friday, Antique Gov. Rhodora Cadiao said.

In an interview on dzBB radio, Cadiao cited initial information reaching her indicating the incident occurred at 3 a.m.

"Siyam ang naroon, presumed natabunan ng coal. Tatlo ang na-recover nila. They were sent to hospital but (were declared) dead on arrival," she said.

At least six more were reported missing and might have been buried under the debris.

"I requested the contractors to stop operations until they recovered the six more presumed (buried)," she said.

Cadiao said it was raining heavily for days on the mine site, on an island off the main island of Panay in the Visayas Region. "The accident happened around 3 a.m. while the workers were working on a water system," she said.

There were only nine workers at the site when the accident happened, said Isidro Consunji, CEO of Semirara Mining & Power Corp, confirming they were buried alive by the landslide.

"Three bodies have been recovered as of this time and digging continues to look for six others," he said. "That's as far as I know. Some of our mining equipment has also been damaged. We don't have the complete details yet."

Semirara, a unit of Philippine conglomerate DMCI Holdings Inc, is the country's largest coal miner. The company may issue a statement later.

Cadiao also said she has sent a team from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to the area, but added Semirara is three to four hours away from Antique.

Second time

Cadiao also said this was the second time such an incident happened in the area, saying the first occurred in 2013.

In February 2013, five miners were killed when a wall of a large-scale commercial coal mine on the island collapsed.

"I'm sure this will undergo an investigation and I hope there is no neglect on the part of the contractor," she said.

In a statement released later, Semirara Mining said it is coordinating with national and local authorities in investigating the cause of the accident.

The company is also looking at measures that will ensure adequate supply of coal for power generation since it has stopped operations in the affected area in compliance with an order from the Department of Energy. — Joel Locsin and Keith Richard Mariano with Reuters/LBG/RSJ/KG, GMA News source