Principal dies in Cebu fire

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A high school principal was killed in a fire early Thursday in Bogo City, some 101.7 kilometers north of here.

The police found the burned body of Jose Embert Dinoy Catarata, 43, in what used to be the bedroom of his home in Sitio (sub-village) Cantecson, Barangay (village) Gairan, Bogo.

Catarata was principal of Odlot National High School in Barangay Odlot in Bogo.

Police Officer 3 Allan Dosdos, investigator of the Bogo City Police station,  said they received a fire alarm at 1:25 a.m. By the time they reached Catarata’s house, it was already engulfed by fire.

Post mortem examination conducted by City Health Officer Minerva Millor showed that Catarata died of severe burns.

Dosdos said they had yet to determine what caused the fire. The victim may have been trapped inside the bedroom as the windows had iron grills.

Dosdos said neighbors heard the victim shouting for help but they could not get inside the house.