SAN JUAN, La Union – Two men were buried alive when sand fell on them while digging a deep well in Barangay Ili Sur, this town, Saturday, July 3.

Police identified the victims as Henry Binavidez, 29, and Elvis Lorenzo, 30, both residents of Bauang, this province.

It was learned that the two victims were among the laborers hired to make a deep well but their work was suspended at 2 p.m. due to a sudden downpour.

According to Roderick Lorenzo, contractor of the project and a relative of the victims, he told his staff to just resume their work for the next day.

When the rain subsided, however, the victims immediately resumed their work. While inside the well at a depth of 20 feet, the sand suddenly caved in, burying them.

Authorities immediately conducted an operation at 3 p.m. to retrieve the two victims using a backhoe.

Binavidez was first recovered. He was declared dead on arrival at Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center in San Fernando City, this province.

The body of the second victim was dug up by the rescuers past midnight Sunday, July 4.

A certain “Marlyn,” mother of one of the victims, went emotional upon seeing her son’s body, saying that he was even planning to marry his girlfriend prior to the incident.

Erwin Beleo

3 dead in bus crash in La Union

Badly burned remains of young man found in La Union

2-seater aircraft crashes in Pangasinan, pilot killed

Landslide damages gasoline station, motor vehicles in La Union

2 men buried alive while digging deep well in La Union