5 trapped children killed in Tondo fire

MANILA, Philippines — Five siblings died from suffocation while another was injured after they were trapped inside their house at the height of a fire in Tondo, Manila yesterday morning.

Fire Chief Inspector Redentor Alumno, Manila Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) arson investigation chief, identified the victims as John Michael Twister Geminiano, 12; his siblings Baby Michael, 7; Marcelo, 5; Jamiel Michael, 3; and Mikaela, 18 months.

Another boy, Mike, 9, managed to jump from the burning house and survived with minor injuries.

Alumno said the fire broke out on the third floor of the Geminianos’ rented room at the corner of Laperal and Herbosa streets at around 9:17 a.m.

Mike told arson probers that one of his siblings was playing with a lighter.

He said their parents left them inside the padlocked room because both of them were working.

The mother was a vendor while the father was a pedicab driver.

Mike said he tried to convince his siblings to jump but “they were unable to do so.”

There were reports that a fire nearly broke out at the Geminiano house last week but probers were still verifying the information.

The fire reached the fourth alarm after 30 minutes as it quickly spread to adjacent houses, which were made of light materials. It was put under control at noon.

The BFP declared fire out around 1:33 p.m.

Damage was estimated at P120,000.

The fire also affected at least 300 residents in the same area in Barangay 91.

Government vows full aid

The Office of the President through special assistant Christopher Go has vowed to provide full assistance to the surviving family members of the five children who perished in the Tondo fire.

“I promise the family that the government will take care of all their expenses, from burial to hospitalization, and until the bodies are brought to their final resting place,” Go said.

Go arrived at the area on board a motorcycle after the fire victims sought his assistance.

Go met with the fire victims housed at the barangay covered court.

“Iba ho ito sa mga napuntahan kong mga nasunugan. ’Yung mga nakaraan po, pinapatawa namin sila kasi medyo malungkot. Ngayon, noong naabutan ko, bago pa lang, nakakalungkot naman na may mga walang kamuwang-muwang na mga bata. Damay lang at hindi nila alam na wala na pala sila (This one is different from other fire incidents. In the previous ones, we make the victims laugh to ease their sorrow. Now, when I got here, I immediately felt sad knowing that innocent children were among the victims, without themselves knowing it),” he said.

At the time of Go’s visit, the remains of the five children were at the Jose Reyes Medical Center. Go, however, assured the family that the government would shoulder all medical and burial fees.

Meanwhile, Go directed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health to provide relief goods and hygiene kits to the other fire victims.

He said office clothes would also be provided to those who are working. – With Edith Regalado

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