BAUAN, Batangas — Some two thousand residents in two villages here were evacuated to a nearby high school campus after a suspected chemical poisoning incident that left three people dead Tuesday night, police said.

Batangas Police Director Senior Supt. Alberto Supapo identified the victims as Charmiel Allego, 23, of San Juan, Mabini, Batangas; Junnel Almohera, reportedly an Army reservist; and one alias Waray. They were all declared dead on arrival at the Bauan Doctors Hospital.

Supapo said three other victims, Jayson Rodolfo of Catmon, Malabon, Guilberto Liverca of Sta. Maria, Bauan and Roger dela Peña of Sa. Lucia, Ilocos Sur also fell unconscious and remained under observation at the same hospital.

Police said they received information at around 6 p.m. Tuesday about the chemical poisoning incident inside an old barge docked at the Sta. Maria Wharf in Barangay Sta. Maria owned by a certain Nilo Bantugon.

Six workers were reportedly in the basement of the barge doing repair works when they were suffocated by fumes from the chemicals they were using.

By 11:30 p.m., the Batangas City Red Cross and Bauan Mayor Ryan Dolor ordered the immediate evacuation of some 2,000 residents from the villages of Sta. Maria and San Pedro. They were brought to the Bauan Technical High School in Poblacion 2 some 800 meters away.

The evacuation area is being managed by Senior Nurse Cely Manongsong and Nimpa Quinico.