MARIVELES, Bataan- Three workers fixing a clogged septic tank here Tuesday afternoon reportedly suffocated, resulting to the drowning death two.
Police identified the fatalities as Rodel Madea and Andy Pedro, both 19 and residents of Marilao, Bulacan. Julius Villanueva, 39, of San Narciso in Zambales survived after treatment by the Mariveles medics.
Celso Manloko, 67, owner of the house, said he was resting when he heard loud shouts at about 2 p.m. that two workers inside the septic tank were no longer able to get out. “Hindi na sila nadala sa ospital, diyan pa lang patay na,” he said.
Nilo de Leon said the three were first using a pump to suck the tank but the main line was clogged and so bore a small opening enough for one man to enter and go down the 10-foot deep septic tank.
He said one worker went down the tank that has shallow water less than knee-deep. “Matapos sundutin ang baradong linya, bumulwak ng malakas ang tubig na umabot ng hanggang dibdib ngunit hindi pa rin umalis ang tao,” de Leon said.
When the two workers outside the septic tank saw that their companion was drowning, they went down one after the other but one also got drowned.
“Maaaring dahil sa mabahong amoy ng bumulwak na tubig kaya nahilo ang tatlo at ang dalawa ay nalunod.
Mabuti na lamang at nakaligtas ang isa matapos hagisan ng lubid,” de Leon and Wily Barteja, both residents in the area, said.
Police reports showed that per post mortem examination, the two workers of RSS Company in Bulacan got suffocated and died of asphyxia by drowning.
