Girl dies, 2 others hurt in Oslob fire

A five-year-old girl died while two others suffered third-degree burns when a fire broke out inside their grandfather's house in sitio Bitaub, barangay Poblacion, Oslob town, last Sunday night

The town's fire marshal SFO2 Jaime Soycano identified the fatality who was trapped inside the house as Claudine May Ann Lorvico. The girls who were injured were identified as Claudine's sister 11-month-old Geisel and her 13-year-old aunt Chara Mae Auman.

Soycano said the fire started in the second floor of the two-story house of the victims' grandfather and Chara Mae's father, Edilberto "Abner" Auman, 43, married, which was made of light and semi-concrete materials.

The fire started in the bedroom where the children were sleeping after a lighted candle fell and burned combustible materials.

Chara Mae was awakened by the heat and took Geisel to safety. In her panic she forgot Claudine, Soycano said.

It was their neighbors and relatives who brought them to the Oslob District Hospital where they were treated for their third-degree burns.

Soycano said he discovered the fatality's body in the second floor after being told that somebody was trapped there.

The fire also spread to the house of Clementina Rozada, 42, but no injuries or casualties were reported.

Soycano said that both houses, located around one kilometer from the town proper and the town's fire station, were destroyed. Damage was placed at P110,000.

He said Edilberto was not around during the incident as he was out getting some fishing materials, Lorvico's parents Gilbert and Hazel were also not around.

Soycano said that last February 26, four houses were destroyed when a fire broke out in barangay Gawi, Oslob, with an estimated total damaged of P150,000. No one was reported hurt or killed in the incident. - Norvie S. Misa/BRP