Elderly woman dies in blaze

An octogenarian widow was killed while her 45-year-old son suffered injuries when a 30-minute fire struck their commercial/residential house in Sampaloc, Manila early yesterday.

The charred body of Nelia Fuentes, 85, was recovered by firemen inside a room at the second floor of her razed residence at 1952 Piy Margal corner Craig streets in Sampaloc.

The fatality’s son John suffered second degree burns on his arms and back as he tried to flee the burning house. He is currently being treated at an undisclosed hospital, according to arson investigator SFO1 Emmanuel Gaspar.

The fire started at around 5 a.m. at the ground floor of the Fuentes’ residence. Two adjacent houses were also partially burned before the fire was placed under control at around 5:30 a.m.

Gaspar said the fatality was sleeping at the second floor and could not escape from the burning room.

Arson investigators said the victim’s injured son, who is still under sedation, will be questioned later on the cause of the fire.

Investigators said neighbors woke up due to the intense heat coming from the burning house.

The fire reached the fifth alarm. Damage to property was placed at P500,000.