AUSTIN, TEXAS: Three hunters lost their lives in a valiant attempt to rescue a dog that had fallen into an underground cistern in Texas. Local authorities confirmed the devastating incident that unfolded on Wednesday, August 9, sending shockwaves through the community.

The group of four was out for a hog-hunting excursion near Austin, planning to rendezvous with a friend. However, their plans took a tragic turn when one of their dogs managed to escape from their vehicle and raced into a cornfield in Bastrop County.

Tragedy struck as the dog fell into a hole that led to an underground cistern. The three victims, identified as Delvys Garcia, 37, Denise Martinez, 26, and Noel Vigil-Benitez, 45, attempted to rescue both the dog and each other from the perilous situation.

Who was Denise Martinez?

Martinez, 26, was one of the victims who died during the hunting expedition. Bastrop County Sheriff Maurice Cook expressed his condolences during a press briefing, stating, "It's a sad day whenever it ends like it did yesterday."

“Can you imagine? You have loved ones and they come to Texas to hunt and then it ends like this, which was a sad tragedy that just happened,” he said. “That group was there to save each other. That takes a lot of guts to jump in.”

The sheriff's office was alerted to the distressing incident around 1 am on Wednesday morning. According to reports, one of the members of the hunting party leaped into the cistern in a courageous bid to save the dog.

The two other victims, displaying immense bravery and camaraderie, followed suit, "possibly to rescue the first person." The fourth member of the party rushed to the truck to seek help.

Toxic fumes made rescue impossible

Tragically, the water level in the cistern was significantly below the ground-level opening, rendering escape impossible. Cisterns, commonly used to provide water to rural homes, became an unintended death trap for the three.

Responders arrived at the scene to find the cistern partially filled with water emitting hazardous fumes akin to those found in septic tanks. Adding to their distress, there were no discernible signs of life.

High levels of toxic hydrogen gas were detected, believed to have altered the water's buoyancy, leading to a swift descent of the victims. “It wasn’t long in the tank before they went to the bottom,” he said.

Recovery efforts faced substantial obstacles due to the presence of toxic gas and concerns about the structural stability of the cistern. Various approaches were considered, including digging beside the cistern and attempting entry through the walls.

Ultimately, the attempts were abandoned to ensure the safety of the rescue teams.

After pumping out the water and ventilating the cistern to disperse the dangerous fumes, authorities employed a drone to assess the cistern's condition. A brave responder was lowered into the cistern, leading to the recovery of the three victims and the dog by 7.30 pm

The precise cause of death will be determined through autopsies conducted by a local funeral home. The cistern was located on private property, with the property owner, whose identity remains undisclosed, believed to have recently died.