Septuagenarian dies in Balamban fire
CEBU, Philippines — A 71-year-old bedridden woman died in a fire that razed a house in Sitio Lower Sak-sak, Abucayan, Balamban, Cebu at past 5:00 p.m. Monday.
Estilita Laya Deiparine did not make it out alive from a one-storey house owned by her son that was gutted by the fire, which reported at around 5:44 p.m. and was put out at 6:50 p.m.
Fire Officer 3 Karl Adrian Sabornido told reporters that based on their initial investigation, the cause of fire could have been the mosquito coil used by the victim inside her room.
Sabornido said the fire started in Deiparine's room, a statement which was also verified by the neighbors who reported about the incident.
According to Sabornido, the daughter of the victim, Chona Completo, narrated that she lit a half of a mosquito coil which she placed on the floor near the bed of the victim and her chamber pot.
Based on the interview with Completo, Sabornido said they suspected that while the victim pooped, a piece of toilet paper possibly fell on the lighted mosquito coil, causing the fire.
"Ang iyaha [Chona] daw suspetsa sa pagkasunog kay ang katol, putol ra gani kuno, pero iyang gibutang sa semento. Unya iyaha lang gibutang sa may plastic nga plato, seguro kuno basi ang tissue ang hinungdan sa sunog na timing sa may katol dapit. Ingon siya wala na siya lain mahunaan [sa hinungdan] sa sunog," said Sabornido.
Deiparine was left alone in the house during the time of the incident as her son was still at work while Chona, who takes care of the victim, lived few meters away from the house.
The fire quickly spread out to other light materials inside though the house is concrete.
Sabornido said that neighbors tried to rescue Deiparine but failed due to the huge fire.
Responding Balamban fire personnel were able to control the fire at around 6 p.m.
No other house was affected and no one was also reported injured while the damage was pegged at P100,000. — GMR (FREEMAN)
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