Pasig fire: 1 dead, 1 hurt

A 15-year-old boy died while his uncle sustained first degree burns in a 40-minute fire at their residence in Pasig City in the afternoon of Christmas Eve.

Some P200,000 worth of property went up in smoke along with the P360,000 raised by the family of the victim, Pasco Raymundo, to redeem their mortgaged house, arson prober FO3 Zacarias Manaog, of the Pasig City fire department said.

Raymundo and his uncle, Daenillo Noah, also 15, were sound asleep at the second floor of 9 Raymundo St., Barangay Malinao when fire broke out in the master’s bedroom at about 4:43 p.m. Sunday, said Manaog.

Raymundo’s mother, Carmina, was on the ground floor when she saw thick smoke billowing out of the bedroom. She shouted for help but the fire, fanned by strong winds, quickly spread to adjoining rooms made of wooden materials.

Manaog said Noah managed to rush down to the ground floor of the two-story residential building but sustained first degree burns on his right shoulder. He was sent to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Carmina tried to rush upstairs to save her son but neighbors prevented her because the fire was already big. —— Non Alquitran