CEBU CITY—A 10-year-old boy was killed in a fire that gutted his home and 39 others in Sitio Cabancalan I in Barangay Bulacao, Cebu City past 5 a.m. on Thursday.
The charred body of Frederick Sumagang, a special child, was found outside their two-story residence where the fire reportedly started.
The cause of fire had yet to be determined, said Senior Fire Officer 2 Lowel Opolentisima of the Cebu City Fire Department.
Based on the initial investigation, fire started on the second floor of Sumagang’s residence. The Cebu City Fire Department received the alarm at 5:55 a.m. and was declared under control after 20 minutes.
Frederick’s mother Joanry said they were sleeping at the living room when she noticed fire from the second floor of their house.
She said they immediately ran out of the house.
Joanry said she later noticed that Frederick, fifth of her six children, was missing.
“I would have wanted to go back to our house, thinking that Dodong was there. However, I was prevented by my other children because the fire was so big already, the 41-year-old mother said.
The boy’s body was brought to the St. Francis Funeral Home.