Talisay fire: Clip fan possible origin of blaze that killed 4-year-old girl

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A clip fan is being eyed as the possible origin of a fire that left a 4-year-old girl dead in Talisay City, with the child succumbing to severe burns in a hospital.

In a Monday, July 27 interview, Fire Officer 1 Jerome M. Dolauta, fire investigator of the Talisay City Fire Station, said their initial investigation pointed to the clip fan inside the second-floor bedroom where the child and her six-year-old cousin were staying when the fire broke out on Saturday, July 25.

However, Dolauta clarified that the official cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Residential fire

The blaze broke out around 4:49 p.m. inside one room of a two-story house in Purok Lubi, Sitio Caolong, Barangay Campo 4, Talisay City.

The fire was declared out at about 4:50 p.m., a minute after it was first reported, before firefighters arrived at 5:02 p.m., according to the Talisay City Fire Station’s report.

The fire damaged one room of the residence, with estimated losses reaching ₱18,000.

Children left upstairs

Dolauta said the four-year-old victim had been sleeping in the second-floor bedroom while her six-year-old cousin remained awake.

At the time, their nanny was downstairs while two older cousins, aged 16 and 17, who had been watching the children, had left the house after informing the nanny that they were going out.

The nanny later told investigators she heard loud noises coming from upstairs before noticing the fire.

According to Dolauta, the six-year-old noticed the fire while it was still small and managed to escape through a window before seeking help from nearby residents.

“Ang una nga nakagawas ato nga time, ang katong 6 years old, katong laki, nakagawas sa bintana. Mao to nakapangayo og tabang sa mga silingan,” he said.

Fire blocked rescue

By the time neighbors responded, Dolauta said the flames had already intensified.

He said the bedroom door had become locked, while the same window used by the six-year-old had already become engulfed in flames.

Another window that could have served as an access point for rescuers was fitted with steel grills, delaying efforts to reach the younger child.

“Ang katong 4 years old, nadugay og kuha kay ang katong kwarto is nidako na ang kayo unya ang bintana nga gigawsan sa katong isa ka bata, adto na mugawas ang kayo. Unya ang pultahan ato nga time, na-lock. Ang isa ka ka window nga mao’y agianan para makuha ang 4 years old, naa’y grill maong nadugay sila ato nga time. Maong nagkapaso paso gyud ang bata,” he said.

Dolauta said the girl sustained burns all over her body because of the delay in rescuing her.

The six-year-old boy, meanwhile, suffered only slight burns on his right palm, based on the fire station’s report.

Succumbed hours later

The four-year-old was rushed to the Cebu South Medical Center, where she remained conscious and responsive while being transported, Dolauta said.

“Pag-travel ato, pagsakay sa ambu, conscious pa to, responsive pa, ma-istorya pa sa yaya. Ang yaya ma’y nag-uban ato padung sa ospital,” he said.

The child was later declared dead at 11:47 p.m. on Saturday.

Dolauta said the victim’s parents were attending a review class when the fire happened.

Combustible materials fueled fire

Although the house was primarily made of concrete, Dolauta said several combustible materials inside the bedroom likely contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.

“Bale kato nga balay, fully furnished concrete jud to. Ang divider ra ato mao’y plywood. Pero ang sulod, naa’y kurtina, ang tapad sa kurtina, daghang sanina,” he said.

These materials, he said, likely allowed the fire to spread quickly despite the home’s concrete structure.

As of Monday, Dolauta said investigators have yet to determine the fire’s exact cause.

Meanwhile, the remains of the four-year-old child have already been turned over to her family.

Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.