Heroic rescue ends in tragedy: Miner tried to save friend from electrocution—both never made it out alive

Itogon, Benguet – What began as an act of courage inside a mine tunnel in Itogon, Benguet, ended in tragedy after a rescue attempt claimed the lives of two miners due to electrocution.

The incident reportedly occurred last week at Sitio Camp 2, Barangay Virac, where two miners were electrocuted while working inside an underground tunnel.

According to the Itogon Municipal Police Station, as cited by local media outlets, a 38-year-old miner was taking a break inside the tunnel when he accidentally came into contact with an energized blower machine used to ventilate the area.

Upon seeing what happened, his 24-year-old co-worker immediately rushed to rescue him. Unfortunately, the attempt to save his fellow miner also placed his own life in danger, and he, too, was electrocuted.

Fellow miners immediately responded and pulled both victims out of the tunnel. The 24-year-old miner was rushed to a hospital for treatment, while the older miner was already showing no signs of life.

Police said the older victim's father declined to have him transported to the hospital after realizing that he had already died.

In a later update, the Itogon Municipal Police Station confirmed that the 24-year-old miner eventually succumbed to his injuries.

Both victims were married and residents of Pudtol, Apayao. Police withheld their identities out of respect for the privacy of their grieving families.

The tragic incident has once again highlighted the dangers faced by miners, whose work often places them in life-threatening situations deep beneath the ground.