SURIGAO CITY — A Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) rescue operation turned tragic after a firefighter died while attempting to save two miners trapped inside a small-scale mining tunnel in Sitio Canlabag, Barangay Capalayan, Surigao City, on August 17.
The fatal incident claimed the lives of Fire Officer 3 (FO3) Rumar Castro Mahinay, 41, a member of the BFP Special Rescue Force and a resident of Barangay Rizal, Surigao City, and the two trapped miners identified as Romeo Villamor Jr., 58, and Jorlic Ferol, 28.
Another BFP responder, Senior Fire Officer 1 (SFO1) Junril Lafuente Goring, 42, was injured during the operation after being struck by falling timber used to support the mining tunnel.
The incident began at around 11:30 a.m. on August 17, when BFP personnel responded to a report that two miners had become trapped inside a confined underground mining passage.
Mahinay entered the tunnel equipped with the necessary rescue and breathing equipment as the team attempted to reach and retrieve the trapped miners.
The rescue became increasingly dangerous because of the unstable condition of the tunnel and limited communication inside the confined space. Authorities said radio communication was also hampered by the absence of signal inside the tunnel.
As rescuers worked to bring the victims out, a wooden support structure inside the tunnel suddenly broke. The collapse caused Mahinay to fall back into the lower portion of the tunnel while the team was attempting to pull him toward safety.
Other BFP personnel immediately entered the area and successfully retrieved Mahinay from the tunnel. He was rushed to the Caraga Regional Hospital, but attending physicians declared him dead on arrival.
Goring was also hit by falling wooden materials during the rescue and sustained injuries. He was brought out of the area and provided medical treatment.
The two miners, Villamor and Ferol, were subsequently recovered but were already dead.
Initial information indicated that the miners may have succumbed to a lack of breathable air inside the tunnel. However, authorities have yet to establish the exact cause of their deaths.
Relatives of Villamor also raised concerns about the possible presence of dangerous gases or other hazardous conditions underground. Jhon Michael, a nephew of Villamor, said the wooden supports inside the tunnel had reportedly become soaked with water, raising concerns about the conditions underground. These accounts, however, remain subject to official investigation.
The incident has also drawn attention to the hazards associated with small-scale mining operations, particularly in confined underground passages where structural collapse, oxygen deficiency and potentially hazardous gases can pose immediate risks to miners and rescuers alike.
BFP honors fallen firefighter
The BFP expressed profound grief over Mahinay’s death, describing his sacrifice as another painful reminder of the risks faced by firefighters in the line of duty.
BFP Officer-in-Charge FCSUPT Wilberto Rico Neil A. Kwan Tiu joined the agency in mourning the fallen firefighter and recognized his courage and selflessness during the rescue operation.
Mahinay was also remembered by the Barangay Government of Hayanggabon as a dedicated firefighter, trainer and mentor. According to the barangay, he had helped train members of its Community Fire Auxiliary Group (CFAG), sharing his knowledge, discipline and rescue expertise.
The barangay said Mahinay played an important role in preparing its CFAG team for its first national-level competition, where the group emerged victorious.
His colleagues and community partners described him as someone who consistently placed the safety of others ahead of his own.
For his fellow firefighters, Mahinay’s final mission was consistent with the responsibility he had carried throughout his career: entering dangerous situations to give others a chance to survive.
Questions over mining area jurisdiction
The tragedy also raised questions regarding the exact location and jurisdiction of the mining site.
Barangay Capalayan officials said small-scale mining activities were being conducted in the mountainous area, but Barangay Captain Alicia Isidro Ozaki clarified that the specific portion where the incident occurred was believed to be within the territory of Barangay Nabago, rather than Capalayan.
Officials from the two barangays have acknowledged the presence of small-scale mining activities in the mountainous area near what is reportedly a boundary between the two communities.
Local officials also said there had been previous instances when miners were ordered to stop their activities, but mining reportedly resumed afterward.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is expected to examine the area as authorities continue determining the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the safety and legality of the mining operation.
The tragedy underscores the dangers faced not only by miners working in hazardous underground environments but also by emergency responders who enter those areas to save lives.
For the families of Villamor and Ferol, the operation ended with the loss of loved ones. For the BFP, it ended with the death of one of its own.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities expected to determine the precise cause of the miners’ deaths, the structural failure inside the tunnel, the presence or absence of hazardous gases, and the circumstances surrounding the fatal injury sustained by FO3 Mahinay.