Elderly woman dies in Anilao house fire

By Jennifer P. Rendon

An 84-year-old woman died in a house fire in Anilao, Iloilo, on the evening of July 22.

The victim, identified by authorities only as alias Thelma, was trapped inside her home in Barangay Dangulaan, about 4 kilometers from the town proper.

Fire Officer 1 Haren de la Cruz, the case investigator, said firefighters received the alarm at about 9:13 p.m. Wednesday.

When responders arrived, the fire had already engulfed most of the residential structure.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control at 9:35 p.m. and extinguished it at 9:50 p.m.

“When we did the mapping operation, it was when we discovered the human remains,” de la Cruz said.

Thelma’s body was found on the bed inside her room.

Authorities said she lived alone.

Although she was able-bodied, Thelma had blurred vision.

A neighbor who was also a relative discovered the fire after hearing sharp crackling sounds.

De la Cruz said investigators were still determining the cause of the fire.

Initial reports indicated that a radio plugged into an extension cord might have overheated and sparked the blaze.

Authorities had not confirmed the suspected electrical cause as of the initial investigation.