We have a double tragedy to report tonight out of Chan Pine Ridge Village in the Orange Walk District. 46-year-old Antonio Campos told police that yesterday he hired two men from Libertad to clean out the well on his farm. When he returned five hours later, both men were dead inside the well. How did it happen? Here some answers with help from our affiliates at Northern Cable Network.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This is the well into which 17-year-old Marcos Ernesto Chi and 30-year-old Herman Perfilio Sanchez tragically fell yesterday.
The pair were hired to clean inside the well. Their job was to remove these remains of a cow, which had died in or near the well. These bones show that the men were doing their job but it was those cow remains would be their undoing.
One of the men fell in and couldn't get out. The other tried to help him and he too fell in. Inside, their heads were above water, but both were apparently overcome by the noxious fumes from the cow's carcass. They were discovered dead about 5 hours later.
The mission went from a rescue to recovery and the only man who got inside the well was this was firefighter - equipped with a breathing apparatus. On the outside - police officers had to band together with Chan Pine Ridge residents to get the bodies out of the well. They had to use ropes, sticks, and strength.
Once out the bodies were taken to the Northern Regional Hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival.
A post mortem has been scheduled to determine the exact cause of death.
