Four reported dead in Bacoor fire

Four reported dead in Bacoor fire

Four people, including two minors, are reported dead in a fire in Barangay Talaba II in Bacoor, Cavite.

According to Bam Alegre's report on Friday, some people are still missing, while others are still in hospitals after being hurt.

The fire started around midnight while the first alarm was raised around 3:05 a.m.

Firefighters had a hard time going inside the area because of narrow pathways and the dark streets. 

The Bureau of Fire Protection declared "fire under control" past 4 a.m.

One of the barangay officials saw the bodies of the two minors.

"So far daw po, ang nasa labas lang dalawa, kasama sa tatlo. May hinahanap pa po siyang kapatid niya at tsaka yung isang ate niya daw. Pero yung dalawang pamangkin, pagtawag po ng bumbero, nakita na natin agad yung casualty. Di' muna natin malalabas kasi halos di mo na marecognize yung body ng mga bata," said Kagawad Beth Tertona.  

The two children were among the nine who were sleeping in one of the burned houses, according to Bam Alegre's report on "24 Oras."

Three of the nine family members survived and got out of the house immediately. They were rushed to a nearby hospital due to wounds.

At around 5 a.m., the authorities were still searching for four other individuals. Their relatives were emotional. 

"Hindi ko alam nasaan sila kasi kakalabas ko lang talaga wala namang sunog wala rin akong naaamoy na gas," said John Lloyd Casin, a relative.

(I don't know where they are because I just came out and there was no fire and I didn't smell any gas leak.)

Firefighters waited until morning to search for other missing individuals.  After the BFP's visual inspection, they found two of the three unaccounted for. 

They are still looking for one individual. The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) will process the remains to find out their identities. 

"Na-identify natin puro bata naging casualties, merong 5 year old merong 8, merong 20 year old and 27 year old meron pa pong isang nawawala na 8 year old," said BFP Bacoor Fire Chief Inspector Alexander Baena. 

(We have identified children as casualties, there is a 5-year-old, an 8-year-old, a 20-year-old, and a 27-year-old, but there is still an 8-year-old missing.)

At least 87 families were affected by the fire. The damage is estimated at P2 million.–With Sherylin Untalan/VAL, GMA Integrated