AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD boy was killed while his younger brother was injured in a fire that hit their house at Kamuning Street, Block 27 Woodside 1, Barangay Alijis, Bacolod City, Saturday evening, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said.
The fatality was identified as Kent Toledo. Injured was his four-year-brother Tommy, who was confined at Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.
Kent was trapped inside the house and was burned to death while his brother managed to run outside and suffered burns on his head, chest, and lower body.
Superintendent Rodolfo Denaga, city fire marshal, said on Sunday, March 13, that only the two children were inside the house when the fire started just before 7 p.m.
The boys’ mother Gigi Toledo left the house to buy food while their father was at work.
Kent was tasked by his mother to take care his younger brother.
The Toledo family serves as the caretaker of the house, which is owned by Nitz Gantes Bagro. It was made of light materials.
Denaga said that although they have yet to determine the actual cause of the fire, it might have been triggered by an unattended kerosene lamp.
He added that the Toledo family has no electrical power connection.
The mother of the victims told BFP investigators that before she left, she lit four kerosene lamps inside the house.
Denaga said the blaze, which damaged about P25,000 in properties, was put out at 7:20 p.m.
He warned Bacolod residents anew of the dangers of using kerosene lamp left unattended, and reminded them to keep matches and lighters out of sight and reach of children. (MAP)