By Glazyl Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – A five-year-old boy died in a fire that razed four houses at Purok Sigay, Brgy. 2 on Thursday, Nov. 28.
The recent fire came two days after the biggest fire that hit Bacolod with six casualties at Java pension house last Tuesday.
Chief Inspector Publio Ploteña, city fire marshal, identified the fatality as Raniel Macapal.
Ploteña said the blaze started from the house of Belinda Cuadra at around 5:32 a.m., where the victim and an infant were staying.
Ploteña said an occupant at Cuadra’s house rescued Macapal and an infant inside the burning house. However, she was separated from Macapal when she failed to strongly hold his hand.
The victim was left inside the burning house.
Ploteña said they have yet to establish the identity of the occupant who was at Cuadra’s house when the fire happened.
Cuadra’s house was destroyed while three other neighboring houses owned by Silvia Sugilon, Bernardo Galicia, and Jose Bonza Sr., were also damaged. All houses were made of light materials.
The BFP declared fire out at around 6:10 a.m. The estimated cost of damage was pegged at P30,000.
Arson investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire.