Brothers Isidro and Jeovani Coyoc died over the Easter weekend at their family’s Orange Walk Farm after suffocating in a water well that they were trying to clean.
The double tragedy happened on Good Friday, April 14, 2017, sometime between 11:30 p.m. and 12 midday, at the family’s farm in the Goat Hill area of Orange Walk. That’s near to the BSI Tower Hill factory, where 41 year-old Isidro “John” Coyoc was overseeing his brother, 26 year-old Jeovani “Jovi”, who was at the bottom of the 40-foot well. They were attempting to clean it, but Isidro reportedly realized that Jeovani was in distress and having difficulty breathing.
A cane farmer told the media that Isidro Coyoc came to him in alarm, looking for help, but he said that he could offer him none. It is believed that this was when Isidro ran back to the well, and tried to rescue his brother by himself, but he too was suffocated by toxic gases at the bottom of the well.
The authorities were called in, and BSI employees worked with the police to rescue them, but that was at least 30 minutes or more of exposure to the gases. One of the brothers was found face up in the 4-feet of water that was in the well, and when they were both extracted and transported to the Northern Regional Hospital, they were pronounced dead on arrival.
These poisonous gases were most likely a mixture of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, which are naturally released from earth after 30 feet down. Because these gases are trapped at the bottom of the well, they become fatal to anyone who breathe them in.
It is noteworthy that a few years ago a similar incident occurred in Paraiso village where two men also lost their lives while cleaning a well.
