A couple died of suffocation after a fire hit their two-story house in Makati City before dawn on Thursday. Fire officials identified the victims as Edwin Lim Cordovilla, 52, a Grab driver and his wife Ana Maria Cuevas Cordovilla, 59.
The couple lived on Onyx Street in Barangay La Paz. Their son, Earl, 23, sustained first degree burns on his left arm when he attempted to rescue the two who were trapped in their bedroom on the second floor.
Earl and his two siblings were able to escape by jumping from the terrace, SFO3 Gerson Moncada said. The fire which started on the ground floor was reported at 2:24 a.m. It was declared under control at 3:12 a.m. and put out at 3:25 a.m. The cause of the blaze was still under investigation as investigators estimated the damage at P500,000.
Firefighters said the house had no fire escape while the windows were secured with iron grills. —Erika Sauler