Mother, daughter die in Pangasinan fire

A mother and her young daughter in Rosales, Pangasinan died after they were trapped inside their burning home on Tuesday. 

In a report by GMA Regional TV’s CJ Torida on 24 Oras, the fire quickly engulfed homes made of light materials in Zone IV, Barangay Carmen West, Rosales, Pangasinan.

The estimated damage from the blaze reached around PHP 2.5 million, destroying one house and damaging four other structures.

“Nakalabas na ‘yung ina. Nag-panic, nakalimutan ‘yung anak niya. Binalikan niya. So, dahil sa panic niya, nakita niya masyadong malakas ‘yung apoy. At saka ‘yung exit nila kasi is galing doon banda ‘yung apoy. So, na-trap sila, Sir,” said Arson Investigator SFO1 Joseph Ullibac of the Rosales Fire Station. 

(The mother was already outside but in her panic she forgot about her child. She went back inside. However, due to her panic, she saw that the fire had grown too strong. Their exit was also in the direction from which the fire was coming, so they were  trapped.) 

An elderly man also sustained injuries when he attempted to rescue the victims.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is still investigating the cause of the fire, which lasted for over two hours.

Another fire incident was reported at a school in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. Video shows students rushing out of their classrooms when a fire erupted in the school theater.

A janitor at the school stated that fire extinguishers were available, but they were not enough to contain the intense flames.

Authorities are still determining the cause of the fire. Welding activity inside the theater is one of the angles being considered by investigators. —Sherylin Untalan/RF, GMA Integrated News