Man, son die in Makati fire

The ruins of house No. 9119-B on La Banda Street, Barangay Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City, after a fire that killed two. Photo by Matthew Reysio-Cruz

A father and his son died after being trapped in a fire that destroyed their rented home and damaged at least four other houses in Makati City early Thursday morning.

Neighbors who used their own garden hoses and pails to douse the flames said they last saw Arnez Lambino, 52, screaming for help as he held on to the window grills on the second-floor of his house on La Banda Street, Barangay Guadalupe Nuevo.

Responding firemen later recovered Lambino’s body and that of his 23-year-old son Aries under the charred debris.

Investigators suspected that the fire, which started shortly before midnight on Wednesday and was put out after about two hours, was caused by a lighted candle or lamp left unattended.

The house has had no power supply for the past several months after the area was blacklisted by the Manila Electric Co. upon the discovery of illegal connections, according to a report reaching the Southern Police District.

The fire damaged mainly the ceiling of the neighboring homes. —Matthew Reysio-Cruz