Woman, 38, scorched while chained to post

CEBU – A 38-year-old woman reported to have mental illness is now in serious condition after suffering third degree burns when her family’s ancestral house caught fire while she was chained to a post inside.

The victim was chained near the kitchen of their house in barangay Luray I, Toledo City when her 70-year-old mother went out to buy food for lunch around 11am yesterday.

Investigation is ongoing as to the real cause of the fire but police said it might have been caused by the fire at the dirty kitchen where the victim’s mother was cooking rice.

A neighbor said she first saw smoke and flames coming from the kitchen when she checked why the victim was screaming for help. 

The victim was already engulfed by fire when firefighters arrived. She was first brought to the Toledo City Hospital but was subsequently transferred to the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

The victim and her mother were the only ones living the house. Her siblings are living with their own families while her father, a retired policeman, has long been deceased.

The ancestral house, made of wood and light materials, was burned down. — Ferliza C. Contratista/JMO (THE FREEMAN)