A family of three died in a fire that hit their house in NHA Village – Buhangin yesterday dawn.
Senior Fire officer 2 Ramil Gillado, the chief investigation officer of the Bureau of Fire and Protection (BFP) XI, identified the victims as Christopher Pascual, 47, wife Rose, 40, and Camille, 12.
Pascual’s other daughter, Pamela, 16, survived the heat but suffered second degree burns on her face, arms and neck.
Gillado said initial investigation pointed to a gas tank leak that could have caused the fire that started at around at 4:28 a.m. yesterday at the house of the Pascual at Lot 6, Blk 22, Hope Street, NHA Buhangin.
The investigator said the fire damaged P1.2 million worth of property.
Gillado said the house was totally razed because it was made of light materials.
He said the family might have been in deep sleep and that they only woke up when the fire was already huge.
The bodies were found at the living room. Rose and Camille were hugging each other and could have been suffocated as they went out of the room, Gillado said.
The fire was put under control around 5 a.m.
Neighbors tried to rescue the family but failed to immediately enter the house because the gate was locked and the compound was heavily fenced.
When they entered the compound, they were only able to rescue Pamela.
The 16-year-old Pamela was immediately brought to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).
