Boy, 5, dies as fire razes 4 houses

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The latest casualty in a fire here was a five-year-old boy after he failed to get out from a burning house at Purok Sigay, Barangay 2 Thursday morning.

Chief Inspector PublioPloteña, city fire marshal, identified the fatality as Raniel Macapal.

The recent incident came two days after the biggest fire that hit Bacolod with six casualties at Java pension house last Tuesday.

Ploteña said the fire broke out around 5:32 a.m. from the house of Belinda Cuadra, where the victim was staying.

He said an occupant at Cuadra’s house rescued Macapal and an infant inside the burning house. However, she got separated with the victim when she failed to strongly hold his hand while they were escaping.

The victim was left inside the burning house.

Ploteña said they don’t know if the occupant is a relative of the victim or the house owner.

Cuadra’s house was destroyed while three other neighboring houses owned by Silvia Sugilon, Bernardo Galicia, and Jose Bonza Sr., were damaged. All houses are made of light materials.

The fire was put out around 6:10 a.m. The BFP has declared an estimated P30,000 worth of damage to properties.

Arson investigators have yet to determine the cause of fire.