Teacher, 3 kids also perish in Iloilo blaze

A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD girl and her two-year-old brother perished in a fire that razed 15 houses Thursday before dawn in Caloocan City.

The charred bodies of Jumina Jean Corado and her brother Brix Tyler, who were earlier reported missing by their mother, were found in the debris of a house next to their home at around 7 a.m.

North Caloocan Fire Station chief F/Insp, Elyzer Ruben Leal said the fire broke out from the house owned by a certain Lilybeth Dolen at around 1:05 a.m. on Ilang-Ilang Street, Brgy. 185 Malaria and quickly spread to adjacent houses mostly made of light materials.

The fire reached first alarm before it was put under control at around 1:47 a.m. A fire out was declared at 3:20 a.m.

Arson investigators are still conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the fire that damaged more than P100,000 worth of property.

A report reaching the office of Caloocan City Mayor Oca Malapitan showed that more than 20 families, who were left homeless, are now temporarily staying at the Malaria covered court.

Mayor Oca ordered the City Social Welfare Department to render necessary assistance, including food, blankets and other relief goods to fire victims.

Family of 4 killed in Iloilo blaze

Meanwhile, four members of a family on Wednesday were roasted to death in a fire that razed their house in Iloilo.

Police identified the victims as Reah Padeos, a 38-year-old teacher, her sons Hienz Michael, 7; and Hera Earl, 6; and daughter Hanly Eslestine, 3, of Bgy. Pagdugue, Dumangas town.

The mother and her kids were embracing each other when found inside their bedroom.

According to Fire Insp. Michael Salvacion, town fire station chief, they received a call about an ongoing fire in Bgy. Pagdugue at 4:45 a.m. on Wednesday.

When firefighters arrived, the house, which was made-up of light materials, was almost gutted by the raging blaze.

“Based on out observation, the mother could have attempted to open the steel matting window in an attempt to escape,” Salvacion said.

The teacher’s father, Edilberto Espeja, said the victims might have been trapped inside as the house was full of lock.

“Madaming lock ang bahay nila kaya maaaring nahirapan silang lumabas,” Espeja, in a local dialect, said.

Reah’s husband, a seaman, is in Manila processing his travel documents when his family met the tragic death.

Authorities theorized faulty electrical wiring started the blaze.

Neighbors told the police that before the fire, they heard a loud bang from the victims’ house. With Jane Eleda