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Sunday, February 22, 2004
Widow, 88, dies in fire
By Mia E. Abellana
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
A CANDLE left unattended caused a blaze that killed an 88-year-old widow in Barangay Tinaan, Naga, Cebu early Friday morning.
Luciana Miranda was left alone in the house while her son Enrique, 63, went outside to boil water around 6 a.m.
When Enrique noticed that their house was on fire, he was shocked and could not move immediately. When he finally managed to move, he could no longer enter the house because the doors were already on fire.
Luciana was charred beyond recognition.
This is the second death caused by fire this month. Last Feb. 10, an 80-year-old bedridden man died in Barangay Suba, Cebu City while his niece rushed off to save her two children. She tried to save him, but the flames spread too fast.
Last Friday, Luciano and Enrique woke up early to pray the rosary.
Enrique unintentionally left the candle burning at the altar and left his mother in the living room to boil water in the kitchen outside the house.
Luciana was partly blind due to old age and could not move on her own.
The house did not have any electricity, and they used candles and oil lamps during the night.
Enrique also report-edly did not notice the smoke coming out of the windows immediately because his back was facing the house.
According to FO1 Frederick Amancia, the house was around 40 years old and mostly made of wood, making the flames spread quickly.
The Mirandas’ nearest neighbors were about 15 to 10 meters away while the fire station was around two kilometers from the house.
Tinaan is a seaside barangay, so the sea breeze could have fanned the flames.
P30T
When the firefighters arrived, the blaze had engulfed the house. Property damage was placed at P30,000.
In Cebu City the other week, Paterno Anoba died in a fire that hit Barangay Suba.
Anoba’s niece left him to take her two young daughters to safety. When she returned, it was too late. The fire’s origin was right next to their house.
About 20 houses were gutted while four others were damaged in the fire that destroyed an estimated P1.4 million worth of property.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña had criticized fire officials and City Hall engineers for not fixing a water tank in Barangay San Nicolas, a neighboring barangay.
(February 22, 2004 issue)
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