2 kids with special needs die in fire

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Two minors described to be children with special needs were charred to death in a fire that hit Isabela City, Basilan province on Monday.

Authorities said the fire gutted the house of a certain Renante Salazar in Strong Boulevard, Barangay Seaside past 1 p.m. on Monday and was only put out after more than an hour later.

Fire investigators disclosed that the grandfather of the two victims narrowly escaped death as he crept out of the burning house. 

However, the two minors were left inside as the fire quickly engulfed the whole house, killing them inside.

Fire probers placed the damage of the incident at more than P200,000. They are still trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Meanwhile, a big fire razed the Department of Education (DepEd) provincial office and three apartments in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte the same day.

Senior Inspector Dahlan Samuddin, information officer of Police Regional Office 9, said the fire that broke out at about 8:20 p.m. at the DepEd provincial office located in Barangay Estaka reached the third alarm which prompted the other fire stations from nearby towns to respond.

He said among the fire stations that responded were from Dapitan City, Piñan, Katipunan and Polanco.

Samuddin said there was no reported casualty before fire fighters put off and declared fire out after three hourd.

Dipolog City Fire Marshal Senior Inspector Richard Timosa said initial investigation disclosed that the fire originated from the promotional office of the DepEd provincial office and quickly spread and engulfed the entire two-storey building and the adjacent three apartments made of semi-concrete materials.

He said the duty guard said that an electrical spark triggered the fire.

“The security guard on duty tried to extinguish the fire but failed because the room was closed and the fire rapidly engulfed the building,” Timosa said.

Timosa estimated the damage of the fire to have reached to P2.5 million pesos while investigation continued to determine the exact cause of the fire. - Roel Pareño