Lightning kills 2 hacienda workers, 10 wounded
BACOLOD CITY – Twelve hacienda workers were hit by lightning while they were about to eat dinner Tuesday night in Hacienda Camansi-Gonzaga, Brgy. Robles, La Castellana, Negros Occidental.
Two died on the spot after they were fatally hit on the head and neck. They were Joebert Rio and Digoy dela Cruz all of Purok Calachuchi, Brgy. Tabugon, Kabankalan City.
The ten others were brought to La Castellana Rural Health Office but later four were declared seriously hit and were transferred to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital for treatment.
The four were identified as Joselito Bacalso, 16; Pablo Sareñas, 28; Roger Embornia, 34 and Jerry Embornia, 17 years old. All of them sustained burns in some parts of their body.
Those who remain at La Castella Rural Health Office are Jason Matasling, Eric Bahita, Iram Gallego, Larry Mahusay, Insik Mahinay and Reynante Arante.
In an interview, Rey Arante, brother of Reynante, narrated that heavy rains and thunderstorms happened on that night while their group is sitting together for dinner.
He was amazed when he heard strong thunder after which a lightning bolt thrown his fellow workers at least three meters away from their small makeshift tent.
Arante said they were commissioned to work in the hacienda until December of this year.
Former Kagawad Jerusalem Cortez of Brgy. Tabugon, the contractor of hacienda, already went to the area and extended help to the workers.