Woman killed after returning to burning house to save some ‘papers’

IF ONLY she had believed in the saying “never return to the burning house for any reason,” a retired government employee in Quezon City should have been alive today.

But for 65-year-old Ester Artaniel, who already emerged from her burning house at the height of the fire in their community along Damayan Street in Old Balara, Quezon City on Wednesday noon, saving some documents was on her mind.

Even as the blaze raged, Artaniel insisted on retrieving her “papers” and sprinted back into her burning house.

She did not get out alive.

“Palabas na sana siya. Bumalik siya sa bahay niya para kunin daw ang papers niya,” Superintendent Jesus Fernandez, Quezon City fire marshal, said in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net.

Fernandez said all members of Artaniel’s family who lived with her survived the fire, including her husband.

“Nakaligtas lahat ng pamilya niya. ‘Yung asawa niya. May anak din siyang 40 years old at may mga apo rin siyang nakaligtas,” he said.

The fire that started around 11 a.m. Wednesday reached third alarm. It only lasted for an hour.

Two people, aged 46 and 30, suffered minor injuries, such as lacerations and scratches, according to Fernandez.

He said the Bureau of Fire Protection has yet to determine the cause of fire that left 150 families homeless and damage to property of P250,000. AC