A TWO-YEAR-OLD girl and her seven-month-old baby sister died in a fire that razed their home at Sitio Kalubihan, Barangay Busay in Pinamungahan town at 9:30 a.m. last Friday.
Police identified the victims as Jilian Laraga, 2, and Irish Laraga, 7 months, the daughters of Marivic Laraga who lives near a spring in the mountain barangay.
Senior Fire Officer Silvestre Tiro Jr. said they received news of the incident one hour after it happened.
Senior Insp. Alfredo Cuhay, Pinamungahan police chief, said the mother was washing clothes at the spring when other children aged seven and five-years-old and whom she asked to look after their younger siblings, followed.
Jilian and Irish were left at home and said to be playing with a lighter and accidentally lit some of their clothes.
One of the neighbors shouted at the mother that their house was on fire after seeing smoke wafting from the area where the Laraga home was.
Their house, which was made from light materials, was already turned into ashes, and her two daughters dead when Marivic reached their home.
Firefighters were also too late to save the two kids and the Laraga house from being destroyed.
The Laraga residence is located in an uphill portion of Barangay Busay that may be reached after an hour’s travel on foot.
Damage to property was pegged at P35,000.
PO1 Jomar Galve of the Pinamungahan police said Laraga’s common-law-partner was working in Cebu City when the fire broke out.
Pinamungahan Mayor Glenn Baricuatro said they will pay for the burial expenses of the two children and housing materials for the family
“Ang Municipal Social Welfare and Services mobalik inig ka Monday sa ilaha aron matan-aw pa unsa ang assistance nga mahatag pa nato (Personnel from the Municipal Social Welfare and Services (Office) will again visit the Laragas on Monday to determine their other needs,” Baricuatro said.