Parañaque fire kills 4

MANILA, Philippines -  Three minors and their 65-year-old grandmother were charred to death after they were trapped inside their burning apartment in Parañaque City early yesterday morning.

The fatalities were identified as Venus Bacolod, 65; Kim Gilbert Mendova, 14; Robert Mendova, 12; and Filbert Mendova, nine. Their bodies were recovered inside their house in Hernandez Avenue, Valley 8, Barangay San Antonio.

Twenty fire trucks were sent to control the fire that started around 2:58 a.m. It reached second alarm before a fire out was declared two hours after. Cause and origin of the blaze are still unknown but authorities pegged the damage to P600,000.

Earlier, another fire hit a residential area between 7th and 8th Streets in Barangay Santo Niño also in Parañaque at about 1 a.m. No one was hurt but six houses were burned and 12 families were affected.

Authorities said it is possible that unattended mosquito coil at the house of one Divina Serrano was the cause of the blaze. Resident of 7th street Alfredo Esperanza told The STAR that an aircondition unit with mechanical problem could have caused the fire.

“The barangay’s mini fire truck immediately responded to the scene,” he said.