A sexagenarian was burned to death after she was trapped inside a house gutted by a fire that hit an urban poor community in Toyota Street, Barangay Centro, Agdao District yesterday morning.
Senior Fire Officer 2 Ramil Gillado, investigation section chief of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 11, identified the fatality as Adela Abad, 62, a local resident.
The fire reportedly originated in the house of couple Antonio and Armida Bioco. Armida is Adela’s younger sister.
Gillado said Bioco’s three-story house was made of wooden materials so it was easily gutted by the fire that spread to nearby houses.
The fire, suspected to have been caused by faulty electrical wiring, reportedly started at the stock room of the house.
The fire investigator said Abad was trapped inside her room at the second-floor of the house. “She was not able to go out,” he said.
Abad was alone at the house when the fire hit around 10 a.m. The fire lasted for an hour.
Firefighters from the Lanang Fire Station and other fire volunteers responded to the alarm.
Aside from Bioco’s house, two others were partially damaged.
The Agdao fire occurred less than 24 hours after another fire razed eight houses in Purok 13, Kasilak, Barangay 76-A (Bucana), Talomo District at 7:50 p.m. Wednesday
Gillado said the fire burned down eight houses.
It started at the house of Rhodora Elladora.
Firefighters from S.I.R. Fire Station and other fire volunteers responded. It was declared fire out at 10:10 p.m.
“We are still conducting further investigation to determine the cause of fire,” Gillado said.
Probers estimated the fire damaged P700,000-worth of properties.
