Teenager dies in vehicular fire in Zarraga, Iloilo

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A teenager died following a fire that burned down a vehicle where he was sleeping early morning on March 15 at Barangay Inagdangan Centro, Zarraga, Iloilo.

Police identified the victim as alias Mico, a 19-year-old Alternative Learning System student from Barangay Dala, Mina, Iloilo.

According to the Bureau of Fire Protection-Zarraga Station, a passerby called their office to report a vehicular fire at around 5:48 a.m. on Sunday.

Senior Fire Officer 2 Lemy John Marañon, BFP-Zarraga fire marshal, said the fire had practically consumed the front portion of the Isuzu Forward wing van when they arrived.

Firefighters immediately doused the vehicle.

While checking the extent of the damage, they discovered a body in the truck’s front seat.

Marañon said they are still investigating the cause and origin of the fire.

“We’re gathering evidence to determine if it was naturally caused or if there were accelerants used to set the vehicle on fire,” he said.

Marañon said they are coordinating with the Zarraga Municipal Police Station to investigate the incident.

Local police have called in the Scene of the Crime Operatives to further investigate the matter.

Capt. Beberly Cataluña, Zarraga police chief, said they are looking at all possible angles behind the incident.

Mico worked for a sound system owner who was hired for a community dance during Barangay Inagdangan Centro’s fiesta celebration on Saturday.

Before midnight, barangay officials ordered the stoppage of the community dance after a commotion ensued between visitors from the towns of Janiuay and Dumangas.

Two of the sound system workers slept at the back of the wing van while others stayed near the equipment.

Mico’s companions claimed they were not aware that he had dozed off in the truck’s front seat.

When the fire erupted, the two workers were roused from their sleep.

The victim, however, was trapped in the front seat.

His co-workers believed that the incident was intentional.

Truck driver Richard Patriarca said that if Mico had fallen asleep, he could have felt that something was burning near him.

Patriarca believed that Mico could have been struck with a hard object, causing him to lose consciousness.

Reports said that a part of the gas tank of the barangay captain’s motorcycle, which was parked behind the truck, had been found missing.

Patriarca believed that some individuals might have targeted them because the community dance was cut short.