[File photo] Police line
A lit candle sparked a fire inside a house in Antipolo City, Rizal, killing a three-year-old boy and injuring a senior citizen and another child on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
According to the Antipolo City Component Police Station (Antipolo CCPS), the fire started at 12 a.m. inside the victim's house in Barangay Dela Paz.
Based on their initial investigation, the victim was inside the house with two others, a young girl and a 62-year-old man, when the fire occurred while they were asleep.
Authorities said a lit candle placed on top of a table near where they were sleeping suddenly fell, causing the fire that quickly spread throughout the house due to light materials.
The senior citizen managed to seek help from neighbors, who assisted in putting out the fire.
All three victims sustained burn injuries on different parts of their bodies.
They were immediately rushed to the hospital. However, the three-year-old boy was declared dead on arrival.