Two boys, six and seven years old, died after they were trapped when a fire hit their home in Barangay Irisan, Baguio City.

The children were with their two other siblings when the house caught fire afternoon on Saturday, October 19, 2024.

Their siblings managed to escape. One jumped out the window while the other were rescued by their neighbors.

The blaze spread quickly because the house was made of light materials, making the fire difficult to control.

According to the Baguio City Fire Station, the fire was not reported immediately because residents in the area attempted to put it out themselves first.

“Late na nai-report kasi nag-fire suppression muna sila. Then nailabas daw nila ‘yung dalawang casualty natin... pagkatapos nun, naalala nila kaming tawagan,” arson investigator SFO3 Benjie Cuyan said.

Based on investigation, the fire started when one of the boys, the older sibling, played with matches.

The children’s father, Reymundo Catablanca, was at work when he learned about the fire.

“Nagsindi siya ng posporo ‘yung anak ko... Naiwan ‘yung posporo,” he said.

Catablanca has called for help from those who may wish to assist the family.

“Kung sinong magagandang puso diyan na gustong tumulong. ‘Yun lang ang ating panawagan,” he said.

Authorities remind parents to avoid leaving children unattended.