BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Four persons died in a dawn fire that razed a boarding house in Camanjac, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental yesterday.
Initial investigation showed that the fire was caused by an unattended candle which was left burning through the night during a power interruption.
The victims were identified as sisters Nelissa, 23, and Sarah Jane Senando, 19, of Zamboanga del Norte; Joan Ortega, 31, and Maricar Araneta, 22, both natives of Zamboanga Sibugay.
There were 12 other residents in the house who survived the incident.
Fire chief Senior Inspector William Tacaldo said the four were trapped in the burning house. Their bodies were charred beyond recognition and recovered by firefighters inside the bathroom, where they obviously sought refuge during the incident, he added.
Investigators suspected that the victims wanted to flee their room but unable to do so because of the window grills.
Tacaldo also said that they are looking into the possibility that the house was being used as a den of the illegal numbers game, suertes, after they found tally sheets, five boxes of coins and burnt paper bills.