The number of fatalities of the dawn fire that razed over 300 houses in two sitios of Barangay Ermita, Cebu City on Monday has risen to three.
In an interview with Cebu Daily News, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRMO) chief Nagiel Bañacia confirmed that one of the seven victims who were injured in the fire has succumbed to severe burn wounds.
7-year-old Princess Mae Chavez was declared dead on Monday evening by attending physicians at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).
Chavez also happened to be the cousin of the other two fatalities, Jovielyn and John Mark Digman, ages 9 and 2 respectively, who was trapped in their house when the fire struck.
Chavez was the niece of Joel Digman and Ida Alolod, the parents of the Digman children.
She was rushed to the hospital after rescuers found her unconscious on the same house with the Digmans.
“The victim (Chavez) sustained serious burn injuries on different parts of her body. During the fire, rescuers found her on the same house where the other two fatalities were found,” said Bañacia.