Man dies in Marikina fire

MANILA, Philippines - A 60-year-old man died in a fire that may have been caused by an unattended candle in Marikina City yesterday.

Firefighters said they found Ben Cordova’s partially burned body in the bedroom of his house in Barangay Industrial Valley. Initial reports stated that Cordova lit a candle to abide by an old tradition of having a candle always lit at a wake. The wake of his older sister, Nellie Sison, was being held in his house. 

Cordova went to sleep before midnight Wednesday, and the fire broke out at around 12:05 a.m. Reports said his relatives tried but failed to rescue Cordova, who was declared dead on arrival at a hospital.

Sison’s wake was transferred to the barangay hall.