Woman dies in Dumanjug, Cebu house fire

Responders carry a body bag containing the charred remains of a 36-year-old woman who was burned to death when her home caught fire in Tubod Dugoan, Dumanjug, Cebu late Sunday night, March 31. | Dumanjug Fire Station

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A late night fire in Dumanjug town, southwestern Cebu claimed the life of a woman on Easter Sunday, Mar. 31.

Fire officials in Dumanjug confirmed responding to a fire that hit a residential structure in Barangay Tubod-Dugoan close to midnight on Sunday.

The fire started around 11:30 p.m. in a two-story house owned by Antonina Ponce, built with concrete and light materials.

Firefighters sadly confirmed the death of a woman, identified as Leonilda Agbon Hambalos, 31, who was the sole occupant of the burned-down house on Sunday evening, according to Fire Officer 2 Boy George Lao.

Fire investigators believed that the victim may have been asleep when the fire broke out, and that she may have suffocated. Her burnt corpse was found on what looked like remains of her bed, where firefighters found cans of butane, said Lao.

The victim reportedly had been making a living by selling cans of butane gas.

In the meantime, fire officials are looking into the possibility that the fire was caused by faulty electrical wirings.

Before it was hit by the fire, the house was undergoing renovation.

The tragic fire also damaged properties worth P84,000.

Dumanjug is a first-class municipality located approximately 78 kilometers southwest of Cebu City. /clorenciana

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