2 killed in Cagayan de Oro art gallery fire

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Two persons were killed when a fire struck a school building housing an art gallery at the Capitol University (CU) in Barangay 23 here Monday morning.

Authorities identified the victims as Bryan Solarte and Dave Marvin Ramoga, residents of Barangay Lapasan. Both were working as construction painters at the CU and were hired by the school on an on-call basis when renovations were needed.

Dr. Christian Caballes, Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) medico-legal officer, said it was highly probable that Solarte and Ramoga died from suffocation before they were burned from the fire.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has yet to release an official finding but initial reports point to the cans of paint thinner, a highly flammable chemical, as the cause of fire.

Caballes said it was yet to be verified if the dead workers were smoking cigarettes prior to the fire.

Nicolas Aca, the gallery curator at CU’s Museum of Three Cultures, said some paintings at the gallery were damaged due to the fire, which was put off after 30 minutes or so.

“They (victims) were doing some renovations at the gallery when the fire happened,” Aca said in a separate interview.