1 killed in Lucena fire

LUCENA CITY – A man was killed after he was trapped inside his burning house in Barangay Ibabang Dupay located in the outskirts of this city shortly before midnight Sunday (May 6), a police official said.

Senior Superintendent Valeriano de Leon, Quezon police chief, identified the fatality as Alvin Melendres, 26.

De Leon, quoting initial report from Lucena police station, said the victim went back inside his smoke-filled two-storey wood and concrete house to retrieve some important documents.

Unfortunately, Melendres was unable to escape the raging inferno when his house was engulfed with fire.

Three hours later, his charred remains were recovered by the authorities at the second floor of the house. The body of the victim was positively identified by his brother and uncle, police said.

Police said the fire broke out at around 9:20 p.m. from the house of one Edgardo Veloria. The blaze quickly spread in the neighborhood and burned down five houses before firemen were able to put off the fire at around 12:40 a.m. Monday.

Lucena firemen are still conducting investigation to determine the cause of the blaze.