The autopsy on the remains of the three workers who were killed while working inside a sewer well in San Antonio has corroborated police investigators\u2019 initial findings that they died due to toxic gas exposure.<\/p>\n
A source disclosed that Guam chief medical examiner Dr. Aurelio Espinola\u2019s autopsy showed that the three victims all died of asphyxia due to hydrogen sulfide inhalation.<\/p>\n
Acting chief prosecutor Matthew Baisley confirmed Espinola\u2019s findings with Saipan Tribune yesterday. He did not elaborate.<\/p>\n
Espinola did the autopsy at the Commonwealth Healthcare Center\u2019s morgue last Saturday.<\/p>\n
The victims, identified as Ricky Quijano, 47; Amid Tapon, 41; and Danilo Paglinawan, 53, all Filipinos, worked for USA Fanter Corp.<\/p>\n
The source said that hydrogen sulfide is a build up from human waste.<\/p>\n
The source said that drowning was not a factor as the workers were already dead even before falling into the water.<\/p>\n
The workers were killed while doing repair work inside a 24-foot sewer lift station of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. at Pakpak Beach in San Antonio last July 7.<\/p>\n
DPS said its preliminary findings show that the workers were exposed to high levels of hydrogen sulfide gas inside the well.<\/p>\n
DPS said other factors include wastewater presence that was about 6 to 7 inches deep, which may have possibly caused the victims to drown.<\/p>\n
The source said that DPS has concluded that it was an accidental death and that there was no foul play.<\/p>\n
DPS considers its investigation closed.<\/p>\n
The source disclosed that the workers were not wearing protective gear.<\/p>\n
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and CUC did their own investigations of the incident but the results have yet to be made public.<\/p>\n
USA Fanter was subcontracted by CUC to perform rehabilitation work on the sewer. <\/p>\n
The umbrella organization of Filipino groups in the CNMI, the United Filipino Organization, is currently leading a fund drive to benefit the victims\u2019 families.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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