Woman killed in Lapu-Lapu fire

CEBU, Philippines - A woman met her untimely death when her house burned down early dawn yesterday in Barangay Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City.

The fire also affected six other houses, three commercial establishments and a Muslim Mosque. The houses and commercial establishments were reportedly made out of light materials, thus, they caught fire easily.

The woman was identified  as Avelina Tesoro, 49. She was reportedly suffering from nervous breakdown.

Investigators believe that the fire was caused by a kerosene lamp that got broken in Tesoro’s residence. SPO3 Ignacio Danosos said Tesoro was the only one left in the house and reportedly used the lamp for light.

Tesoro was in her room when the fire broke and did not make it out. No one else was hurt in the incident.

Danosos said the very narrow alleys leading to the area of the fire made it difficult for firefighters to respond to the incident.

The alarm was received at around 3:45 a.m. and was reportedly controlled in less than 10 minutes. Damage was pegged at P750,000.

Meanwhile, another fire struck an ancestral house in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City late evening last Wednesday.

It was a certain Arnel Villagracia who noticed a burning smell and immediately shouted for help when he saw a thick smoke coming from the house.

Two firemen who responded to the incident suffered minor injuries. SFO2 Wilfredo Ochea suffered a minor injury in the head while FO2 Nestor Gauliza was hurt on his right foot.

SFO1 Lowel Opelentisima said the fire may have been caused by faulting electrical wiring. Damage was pegged at P100,000.

Four families was renting rooms in the ancestral house and investigators are yet to determine from which room the fire started. – Bong Soriano, Flor Perolina with Cathlene Lou Tacoloy and Ace kimberly Laviña/JMO