Residents take a peek of what used to be their homes | Gerard Vincent Francisco
CEBU CITY, Philippines — As an 80-year-old woman who suffered third degree burns died in the hospital a few hours after her house was razed by fire, the other 139 fire victims of the January 4, 2020 T. Padilla fire are also appealing for more assistance.
Harry Alcontin, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) chief, told CDN Digital in a phone interview that the house owners and their families were staying at the T. Padilla Public Market.
Read more: Archdiocese of Cebu asks prayers for fire victims in Cebu City and Australia
Alcontin said that the 139 fire victims were appealing for more help especially free meals as they await for the financial assistance from the city government to be released to them.
He said that Mayor Edgardo Labella had already rushed the approval of the monetary assistance which he hoped could be distributed by the end of this week.
He also said that those who would want to donate or help the fire victims could visit the second floor of the public market where the Quick Response Team (QRT) would be available to sort and later distribute the donations.
He said those, who were planning to donate more, could also call this hotline numbers — 232-355.
Read more: Two-hour fire in T. Padilla, Cebu City razes 40 houses
Meanwhile, as the survivors appeal for help, an 80-year-old woman was confirmed to have died a few hours after she was rescued from her burning house in Sitio Bucog, Barangay T. Padilla at past 10 p.m. of January 4, 2020.
Fire Officer 2 Fulbert Navarro of the Cebu City Fire Department, confirmed to CDN Digital the death of Maria Villena in the hospital.
Read more: BFP still clueless what caused T. Padilla fire
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Navarro said Maria Villena was the elderly woman who was rescued inside her burning house during the T. Padilla fire.
Her 39-year-old son, Rene Abellana, jumped from the second floor window of their house to escape the fire.
Both mother and son, Maria and Rene respectively, suffered third degree burns and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Navarro said that it was possible that Maria’s age and her burns could have contributed to her death./dbs