3 kids die in Cainta fire

MANILA, Philippines – Three children died in a two-hour fire caused by a lit candle left unattended in Cainta, Rizal on Friday.

The charred bodies of Nico Espinosa, 15; his brother, Kevin, 7, and their cousin, Coleen Espinosa, 2, were recovered at their burnt house in Sitio Bagong Silang in Barangay San Juan at around 1:40 a.m. yesterday.

Neighbors said the parents of Nico and Kevin, locked up the children in their room so they could play a card game with their neighbors.

Superintendent Marlon Gnilo, Cainta police chief, said the mother of the victims, Lilia Espinosa, 44, was arrested while a manhunt was launched for her husband Larry.

The Espinosa couple will be charged with serious negligence resulting in multiple homicide.

One of their neighbors, Irene Efondo, said the Espinosa family had been using candles after their power supply was cut off over unpaid bills.

Efondo said she heard the children crying for help, but she was not able to save them because the fire had spread.