The four victims when found inside fermentation pool at patis factory.
FOUR workers were found dead allegedly suffocated inside a fermentation pool at a fish sauce factory in Obando, Bulacan.
Authorities recovered the bodies of the four men inside the fermentation pool in Barangay Panghulo, Obando, Bulacan yesterday.
The victims were reported to be workers at the compound where the fish sauce factory is located.
According to the police, one of the victims was cleaning the pool.
However, one worker was reportedly shocked to find the victim unconscious while under the fermentation pool.
He then called for help, and three men immediately assisted.
Unfortunately, they were unable to rescue the victims.
The cause of death of the four victims is believed to be suffocation after inhaling chemicals from inside the pool.
During the retrieval operation, authorities used breathing apparatus to descend into the pool due to the strong odor.
Two of the deceased were caretakers of the compound, while the other two were construction workers at a nearby gym.
Based on the investigation, the factory has reportedly been non-operational for four years, raising questions among the victims’ families as to why the fermentation pool needed cleaning.
The police are currently investigating if the factory is indeed non-operational.
They are also looking into the possible liability of the owner, especially since the victims were not wearing safety gear, with only three of them having ropes.
According to the child of one of the deceased workers, they signed a waiver stating that the owner would cover the expenses for the wake and burial of their relative.
However, they are also considering filing a complaint depending on their agreement with the owner.
