3 children dead in residential fire in Barangay Tatalon, QC

Three children died when fire broke out at their house in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City before dawn on Sunday.

The fire started at 4:19 a.m. at a residential building along Kaliraya Street, according to a report by Luisito Santos on Super Radyo dzBB.

“Iyong dalawa nakita na du’n sa may malapit sa terrace. Iyong isa, sa may hagdan malapit,” Fire Senior Inspector Jose Felipe Arreza, Commander of QC Fire Station 4, said.

(The bodies of the two kids were seen near the terrace while the third was on the stairs nearby.)

“Hindi na raw kayang balikan, eh. Kaya ang naisalba na lang talaga, ‘yung baby,” he added.

(Attempts by the father to rescue the three children failed because the house was already on fire. He was able to save only the 4-month-old baby.)

DETALYE: Tatlong menor-de-edad, patay sa nangyaring sunog sa isang residential area sa Kaliraya St., Brgy. Tatalon, Quezon City. | via @luisitosantos03 pic.twitter.com/OJDhXjH9ca

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) May 28, 2022

The fatalities were aged 9, 8, and 4 years old, according to the children's father.

The victims' father said his wife woke up and was surprised that there was smoke in their room located on the third floor of the building.

When they opened their bedroom door, the living room was already engulfed in smoke and fire was already spreading.

He said they ran, and he shouted for help, crawling and grabbing his youngest, a baby who was only four months old.

They ran to the second floor, and the father said he threw the baby out the window to a neighbor who caught the infant safely.

WATCH: Nakaligtas sa sunog ang 4-buwang gulang na sanggol na ito matapos ihagis mula sa 2nd floor ng kanilang bahay sa Tatalon, Quezon City @dzbb pic.twitter.com/39bvVIKo9F

— Luisito Santos (@luisitosantos03) May 28, 2022

He and his wife as well as their eldest child then jumped out of the second floor window. All three had injuries.

Three other children — two girls and one boy — unfortunately were not able to make it and were trapped on the third floor.

JUST IN: Patay ang 3 menor de edad matapos matrap sa sunog sa Brgy. Tatalon, Quezon City @dzbb pic.twitter.com/2r6wo3goMn

— Luisito Santos (@luisitosantos03) May 28, 2022

The fire only reached the first alarm before it was put out around 5 a.m.

The Bureau of Fire Protection had difficulty putting out the fire due to the narrow street.

Personnel from the crime laboratory are on site as of posting time. 

LOOK: Dumating na sa pinangyarihan ng sunog sa Brgy. Tatalon, Quezon City ang SOCO para iproseso ang mga labi ng mga namatay sa sunog @dzbb pic.twitter.com/rCnU5Juxb3

— Luisito Santos (@luisitosantos03) May 28, 2022

Investigation is ongoing as to the cause of the fire and amount of property damage, but the BFP said it is looking at electrical wiring as a possible cause.

“Noong pagbukas niya (tatay), iyon pala kulang na lang ng introduction ng oxygen, at lalo pong sumiklab. Malamang yan electrical po ‘yan kasi possible pong may outlet diyan, may mga connection diyan, pero under investigation pa po tayo,” Arreza said.

(When the father opened the door oxygen rushed in, stoking the fire. The cause  was probably electrical because there was an outlet somewhere there. An investigation into the cause of the fire ongoing.) —KG, GMA News