A 1-year-old girl was killed while her 3-year-old sister suffered burns after a fire broke out in their house in Cabancalan 1, barangay Bulacao, Cebu City, shortly before 6 p.m.
It was the second of two fires to hit the city yesterday.
Cebu City Fire Marshal Senior Supt. Aderson Comar identified the fatality as Jamaica Jintapan, who was left at home with her elder sister.
Their parents Albert and Elinita Jintapan had left the children to the care of Albert’s 16-year-old sister.
However, the babysitter left the house.
“She walked to the river while the kids were left alone,” Comar said.
He said the neighbors rescued the 3-year-old girl when fire engulfed the house. She suffered first-degree burns and was treated at the hospital.
Property damage was pegged at P25,000. Only one house occupied by the Jintapan couple was razed. It was owned by a certain Infineda Jintapan. Comar said they are verifying the cause of the fire.
At past 10 a.m., a fire broke out in sitio Riverside, barangay Hipodromo. Seven houses were destroyed. The fire started in the two-story home of Ronald Villegas.
Initial investigation showed that his 4-year-old son and 3-year-old nephew were spotted playing with matchsticks at the second floor.
But the grandmother Margarita Villegas denied the report. She told Cebu Daily News that the fire may have been caused by a short circuit from the roof.
Four houses that belonged to Bernardino Villegas, Maryjane Basalo, Neces Teresita and Gigi Viquella and two other houses owned by Wendyl Go and Vilma Gimal were damaged.
Comar said the damage was estimated at P150,000.