Boy, 5, Dies in Negros Sugarcane Fire

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – A five-year-old boy died in a fire that broke out in a sugarcane field at Sitio Mambato, Barangay Tu-oy, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday afternoon.

Fire Officer 1 Michael Bernardo, arson investigator of the Himamaylan City Fire Station, said they received a fire call at around 2:20 p.m.

Bernardo said the child sustained second-degree burns, but it remains unclear how the injuries were inflicted during the incident.

The boy was rushed to a hospital in the city but later succumbed to his injuries.

The sugarcane fire caused an estimated PHP 300,000 worth of damage. Authorities declared the fire out at 4:24 p.m. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

In a separate incident, a fire broke out at Purok Masinadyahon, Barangay Pahanocoy, Bacolod City, on Wednesday night, destroying three houses and partially damaging another.

The blaze, reported at around 8:25 p.m., affected six families and caused an estimated PHP 229,770 in damage.

Firefighters declared the fire out at 8:55 p.m.