Telephone linemen electrocuted, 1 dies

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: A telephone lineman died, while two others are in critical condition and three remain in a hospital after they were electrocuted while fixing telephone lines in the island province of Camiguin on Friday morning.

Mayor Jeje Romualdo of Mambajao, the capital town of Camiguin, identified the lone fatality as Jerome Molino of Bukidnon.

Romualdo identified one of the two linemen earlier reported in critical condition as Brendon Gulane.

In a telephone interview with the local Magnum Radio station here, Romualdo said the seventh victim was the unnamed driver who sustained only minor injury.

The three others who are now under observation in a Camiguin hospital are Mario Jamito of Balingasag town, Joel Balabat and Renel Lamoste, both of Manicao town, all in Misamis Oriental.

He said the linemen, working for the Camiguin Electric Cooperative ( Camelco), were installing fiber optic telephone lines when the accident happened at past 7 a. m.

Initial investigation disclosed that the boom of the truck the linemen were using accidentally touched a live wire and electrocuted them.

Attending physicians in a hospital declared Molino dead on arrival.

Romualdo added the Camiguin local government is ready to transport the three linemen to Cagayan De Oro, as well as the two critically injured linemen, anytime on doctors’ advice.

“We are on standby and prepared to transport the victims to the Regional Medical Center in Cagayan De Oro City if necessary,” he said.

The government- owned Regional Medical Center in Cagayan De Oro City is the most medically equipped and advanced stateowned hospital in Northern Mindanao.

Romualdo said he would ask for an investigation of the safety policies covering Camelco linemen as he recalled that a lineman also reportedly died of electrocution a few days ago.

He said the island province of Camiguin is turning its communication lines into fiber optic to make internet connection fast and available to its residents.

CRIS DIAZ