Outdoor burning of grass and trash to purportedly drive away mosquitoes could have caused a fire that killed three children and injured two of their siblings in Maasin town, Province of Iloilo.  

According to FO2 Remegio Peloquero Jr., arson investigator of Maasin Fire Station, in an interview by GMA Super Radyo Iloilo, the outdoor fire was left unattended. 

FO2 Peloquero pointed out that the response on the night of July 3, 2024 took a while because the distance to the burning house in Sitio Araw-awon, Barangay Dalusan is over 10 kilometers from the Maasin Fire Station.

It took around 400 meters from the paved road to reach the house of the victims, he added.

Peloquero said that aside from the  distance, water source is another challenge in the area.

Based on the latest report, two of the three children who died were differently abled.  One is a five-year-old girl, while the other is a four-year-old boy. 

The third casualty is a 16-month-old girl.  

Meanwhile, two of their siblings were taken to the hospital. One is a 12-year-old girl, while the other is an eight-year-old girl. Both suffered from multiple burns, Peloquero also said.

It was further learned that the five siblings were left in the house while their parents were out to attend a funeral vigil. 

The house was made of light materials, Peloquero added.

(via I. Aguana, R. Tenorio/DYSI Super Radyo Iloilo)