A 90-YEAR-OLD woman perished in fire that razed seven houses early Thursday, January 2, in Isabela City, Basilan, an official said.

Senior Inspector Jasmine Tanog, Isabela City fire marshal, identified the fatality as Magdalena Garcia, who perished in a fire that broke out shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday at Purok 7 in Tabuk Village.

Tanog said investigation showed that prior to the incident, Garcia asked her grandson, Jay-R, to give her a match to light up a candle at the altar.

She said Jay-R told them he went to sleep but was awakened by an overwhelming heat around 1 a.m.

Jay-R failed to save her grandmother since he was forced to jump out of the window as flame engulfed their house and rapidly spread to nearby houses made of light materials.

Tanog said the responding firemen have encountered difficulties in getting near the fire scene due to narrow road. (SunStar Zamboanga)