It took three hours to rescue an elderly man who lost consciousness inside a well measuring five to six meters deep in Barangay Concepcion, Puerto Princesa City, around 7:45 this morning.
The elderly man, identified as Onofre Madayag, 67, from Brgy. Princess Urduja in Narra, Palawan, descended into the well to clean it but lost consciousness.
Another companion, attempted to Madayag, but he also experienced dizziness and was taken to a satellite clinic.
According to FO1 Aviv Michael Navilla, the victim may have suffered from oxygen depletion, compounded by the unpleasant odor of the water.
“Kung nasa area ka kasi, kung titingnan mo ang balon, akala mo mababaw kasi culvert type, at makikita mo ang ilalim. Akala mo mababaw lang, pero nasa around 5-6 Meters ang lalim niya. Medyo mababa na siguro ang oxygen at the same time may amoy ang tubig medyo mabaho,” said Navilla.
The victim’s body was retrieved by rescuers of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Puerto Princesa City and personnel of the Puerto Princesa City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) around 10:38 a.m. and immediately taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The well, which the elderly man was cleaning for water use, is for ongoing construction work to repair a bridge in Concepcion damaged during Typhoon Odette.
