Couple killed in Las Piñas blaze

A couple was killed while their seven-year-old son was seriously hurt in an hour-long fire that hit an apartment building in Las Piñas City yesterday.

Fire officials identified the fatalities as Celedonio de la Cruz, 37, and his wife Maritess, 30. Their son, Carlo, is now in critical condition at the Perpetual Help Medical Center after sustaining second and third degree burns in different parts of the body.

According to Senior Fire Officer 3 Noel Consignado, the couple was trapped as flames spread inside their unit at the second floor of a two-story building located at 178 Angela Road in Talon Uno.

Although their investigation has yet to be completed, Consignado said the fire could have been caused by sparks from faulty wiring following a brownout. The fire started at 4:56 a.m. and destroyed some P500,000 worth of property.

"The family was probably asleep when the fire broke out. The husband managed to save his son by carrying him to safety outside the building despite the burns on his body," Consignado said in an interview.

The investigator said the father went back to their unit to rescue his wife, who had fainted while shouting for help.

"Unfortunately, both of them were trapped inside," he said.

The bodies of the couple were charred beyond recognition. They recovered the bodies from the first floor of the building after the second floor collapsed.

Fire officials said the unit and neighboring units owned by a relative were destroyed. Five others were partially damaged. – Edu Punay