Old couple, daughter die in Cebu City fire

CEBU CITY — A septuagenarian couple and their eldest daughter died while about 600 families were left homeless when a fire struck a densely populated area in Barangay Sambag II Saturday afternoon.

When the blaze was extinguished, firefighters and homicide investigators found the charred bodies of couple Jose and Petronila Miel, both aged 73, and the partially burned body of their daughter, Leonides, 57.

Homicide investigator Jimmy Aguisanda said the three might have died of suffocation due to poor ventilation.

The Miels’ two-story house was located adjacent to the house of Crisanta Guiholpe where the fire reportedly started.

Leonides might have tried to save herself by seeking shelter at the comfort room but was eventually killed when the fire ate up all the portions of their house.

Witnesses said Jose was even seen trying to salvage their valuables from the fire, but he reportedly went back to their house when he noticed that his wife was not with him.

Jose’s body was found near the door of their sari-sari store at the ground floor, while Petronila’s was found near the door of the comfort room. — Freeman News Service