Infant dies in Duljo-Fatima fire

CEBU, Philippines — An infant did not make it to his first birthday after he got trapped inside their house that caught fire Sunday evening in Barangay Duljo Fatima, Cebu City.

Jeydane Reil Puza is supposed to turn one year old on April 27, but he died during an evening fire when his mother had left him alone to fetch water.

The fire was raised to first alarm and was controlled at 8:34 p.m.  It was considered completely “fire-out” 16 minutes later.

The Cebu City Fire Department has pegged the damage at P13,000.

SFO1 Riza Julve, investigator of Cebu City Fire Department, said they will investigate the cause of the fire and to know why the child was also left behind.

The 21-year-old mother Jerin Rodriguez said she has already made plans for her son’s birthday, but their savings also went into ashes during the fire.

She said they tried to save the baby, but they could no longer get inside the house because the fire had already spread and was no longer controllable.

The mother believed that a candle was the cause of the fire after they had no electricity at home.

Based on the records of the Cebu City Fire Department from April 1 to 17, they have already recorded a total of 36 fire incidents where 13 involve residential areas, grassfire with five, rubbish fire at 16, post fire with two. — GAN (FREEMAN)