SAN GABRIEL, La Union, Philippines – Three children died when they were trapped inside their burning house in the village of Polipol here Sunday night.
Mae Joy Gacayan, 7, and her siblings Sheena Grace, 4, and Menard Carl, 3 were not able to run out of the house when the fire broke out at around 7 p.m., said Inspector Gerardo Soriano, town police chief.
Soriano said the victims' brother, John Mark, 10, managed to run out to call for help.
Initial investigation showed a kerosene lamp sparked the blaze. The flames spread quickly as the house was made of light materials.
Soriano told The STAR the children’s parents, Mark and Amelita, were not around during the incident. The couple reportedly went to a relative’s house in a nearby village. – With Raymund Catindig