Girl, 4, survives Quezon City fire

MANILA, Philippines — A four-year-old girl survived the fire that engulfed her family’s house in Quezon City on Tuesday night.

Nobody among the child’s family expected she would survive the fire that razed their house along 14th Avenue in Barangay Socorro.

The girl’s relatives thought she died as the fire originated in the room where she stayed.

“Binuhusan ko ng tubig yung kwarto para makuha yung bata pero hindi ko po siya nakuha,” the child’s grandmother, Lita Rosa Castillo, said over GMA News.

Firefighters searched for the girl, but failed to find her so they left the scene.

The child’s relatives never gave up and continued looking for her. Her grandfather, Carlos Flores, found her alive four hours after the blaze.

The girl, who hid in the corner of the room, shouted at Carlos, who immediately brought her to an ambulance.

“Malaki ang pasasalamat ko at nasagip ko pa rin ang apo ko,” Flores said.

The girl suffered minor injuries on her shoulders and head. She was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

City fire marshal Senior Superintendent Jaime Ramirez said the blaze started at around 7:36 p.m. 

Ramirez said the flames spread quickly as the house was made of light construction materials.

Firefighters doused the blaze at around 8:37 p.m.

Arson probers said the fire was caused by a lighted candle left in the  room. There has been no electricity at the house for about a month.

Damage to property was estimated at P20,000.