Cebu City fire kills three minor siblings found locked in embrace
Three minors were reported to have died when a fire struck a residential area in Sitio Avocado, Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City, on Saturday morning, March 29. | Contributed photo via Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The burned bodies of three young siblings were found among the rubbles of their home in Sitio Avocado, Brgy. Mambaling, Cebu City that was razed by a fire on Saturday morning, March 29.
The three kids tragically lost their lives after allegedly getting trapped inside their burning home.
They were aged six, four, and three.
A report from the Cebu City Fire Station (CCFS) revealed that the blaze started at around 8:51 a.m.
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The flames were first spotted at a two storey house owned by Junrel Abella and occupied by several individuals including Ynica Marie Siaboc and her family.
Firefighters arrived at the scene at 8:51 a.m. and raised the fire to the first alarm two minutes later.
At around 9:41 a.m., they declared that the fire was under control. It took them a few hours before the fire was completely put out at around 11:00 a.m.
The blaze destroyed a total of 20 residences and partially burned five others. The total cost of damages was estimated to be P750,000.
After dousing the fire, firefighters went to inspect the scene and witnessed the tragic sight of three burned bodies huddled up together inside the house were the fire started.
The victims of the Cebu City fire were 6-year-old Sachna Lexy Siaboc and her younger siblings Razan Kyle, 4, and Athena Lexy, 3.
The three were believed to have been unable to escape the burning house on time, causing them to be trapped.
Senior Fire Officer 2 (SFO2) Wendell Villanueva, CCFS information officer, disclosed that their mother was at work while their father stepped out to get his e-bike.
The occupants of the ground floor of the house were also not present at the time of the incident.
Villanueva said that when the fire started, a neighbor yelled at the kids from outside to jump off the second floor.
A few minutes passed but the kids did not respond. Authorities suspect that the children may have already suffocated by the fumes at the time.
As of this writing, the investigation on the cause of the Cebu City fire that allegedly started at the second floor of the house is ongoing.
Following this tragic incident, Villanueva reiterated their constant reminders for the public to refrain from leaving their young children alone in their homes.
He emphasized that children, being part of the vulnerable sector together with pregnant women and senior citizens, must be watched thoroughly at all times as they are unable to care for themselves in emergency situations like fires.
The tragic Cebu City fire happened in March which is celebrated nationwide as Fire Prevention Month.
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