By Ivy Tejano
DAVAO CITY - Local authorities on Saturday confirmed that the three children who were missing during a huge fire in Mati City in Davao Oriental, were already dead.
Mati Fire Station fire marshal Sr Insp. Christian Cena said the fire had been raging for an hour before it was reported to them that there were three children trapped inside a house.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) reported that the victims aged 10, eight and three were asleep when the fire started.
Initial investigation revealed that the fire began at the house of a certain Intoy Culaba. Overall damage was estimated at around P1.5 million.
At least 50 families or 135 individuals were displaced after 25 houses burned down in Barangay Santo Niño Friday night.
The fire started at about 11:30 p.m. and raged until 2 a.m. Saturday.
Members of the Mati City and Provincial (DRRMC) of Davao Oriental, along with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Provincial Engineering Office, Peemart volunteers, and the police and military, responded to the incident.