The Vasquez family will have to look for a temporary home this Christmas as fire gutted their two-floor house on Thursday evening, December 12. To the right is the house owned by Wilfredo Go which was also completely destroyed by fire. To the left is the house of Juanita Plaza that was partially burned. | CDND Photo / Norman V. Mendoza
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — It’s a sad Christmas for the Vasquez family as their home was gutted by fire at 9 p.m. on Thursday, December 12, in Sitio Pagatpatan in Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City.
Satur Vasquez, 50, woke up from his sleep after he noticed an odd smell and saw thick smoke entering the second floor of their house.
He quickly roused his wife and two children to escape the fire.
But the flame had engulfed the ground floor of their house so the family decided to jump from their second-floor window to the roof of their neighbor’s house.
Satur sustained burns on his arms.
His wife, 49-year-old Dolores, 49, also sustained burns on her arms.
She also has a cut on her leg which she sustained after she jumped from their window to their neighbor’s roof that is made of corrugated galvanized iron sheet.
The Vasquez children, 14-year old Nolan and 10-year-old Jeandai, sustained burns on the shoulders, arms and face.
The family members were immediately transported to Mandaue City Hospital for treatment.
The fire also burned the house of Wilfredo Go, which was located next to Vasquez family.
Another house owned by Juanita Plaza was partially burned.
Senior Fire Officer 1 Noel Codilla, fire investigator of Mandaue City Fire Station, said they received the fire alarm at 9:02 p.m.
The fire was controlled at 9:22 p.m. after it was raised to second alarm.
Satur said a candle was used as a light source by his son Jason and his girlfriend, who were staying at the house’s ground floor.
Satur said they later learned that Jason and his girlfriend went out and may have left the lighted candle unattended. / celr