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DPS: Death of worker who fell from elevator shaft accidental
‘Victim was possibly pinned in, stuck in shaft while conducting maintenance work’
The maintenance staff of Laolao Bay Golf and Resort in Kagman 3, who died after reportedly falling from the resort’s elevator shaft on Sunday night, was possibly pinned in and stuck in the shaft, police said yesterday.
Department of Public Safety acting spokesman Jason Tarkong said the cause of the victim’s death has been ruled accidental and remains under investigation.
“There is evidence to show that the victim fell from a higher elevation to the ground floor deck,” Tarkong said.
Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services spokesman Derek Gersonde earlier identified the victim as 58-year-old Jose Mertola, a Filipino.
Gersonde said Mertola suffered multiple lacerations to the head, right arm, left ribs, and right inner thigh, and had an open fracture wound to the left leg.
Mertola was transported to the Commonwealth Health Center emergency room, where Dr. Florence Schenker pronounced him dead at 9:06pm.
Tarkong said police officers responded to Laolao Bay Golf and Resort on Sunday at 7:04pm after receiving a report that an employee was involved in an accident at the hotel’s elevator shaft.
Tarkong said the victim was found with serious injuries on the ground floor of the elevator shaft.
Tarkong said there were obvious signs that the victim was already dead and that first responders were unable to conduct resuscitation.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim was conducting elevator maintenance along with another staff on the service elevator located on the first floor of the resort.
The victim was working on repairs and maintenance, while the other staff walked up to the floors above to conduct assessment.
The other staff indicated that the elevator began to go up and stopped on the seventh floor.
The staff heard a sound from inside the elevator shaft that appeared like an object falling and hitting the ground.
The staff called the victim, but the latter never responded.
The staff ran to the seventh floor, where the elevator was located and turned it off. He then called for assistance.
