GENERAL TRIAS CITY, Cavite – Another injured worker died in a hospital a week after the tragic fire at the House Technology Industries (HTI) factory in Cavite Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA) compound here.
Senior Superintendent Arthur Velasco Bisnar, Police Provincial Office director and a member of the Crisis Management Committee (CMC) confirmed that employee Richard Bombita Sargento, 33, died at 2:51 p.m. Wednesday at Divine Grace Medical Center in the city.
In text messages, Bisnar cited that Sargento succumbed to injuries in mid-afternoon of Wednesday, not Thursday as claimed by some reports.
Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla also made the confirmation in his Facebook page on Thursday night and a text message sent to this reporter on Friday morning.
The demise of Sargento brought to two the number of fatalities in the factory fire after Jerome de Guia Esmaet, 37, an HTI line leader died in the same hospital late Saturday night (Feb. 4).
Sargento was reportedly one of the seven HTI workers in critical condition at Divine Grace Hospital. There were 27 workers confined in the hospital, University Medical Center (UMC) and General Trias Hospital as of Wednesday. The victims sustained body burns.
One hundred and twenty four workers and two Japanese officers of the HTI firm, were reportedly brought earlier to the hospitals after the fire broke out in the factory on the night of February 1 which lasted for 46 hours.
(Anthony Giron)