BY NYARIKA DOMANAIS
ILOILO – A five-year-old boy died in a house fire in Purok Gines, Sitio Balagon, Barangay Badiang, Anilao.
Captain Jesse Lepaña, chief of the Anilao Police Station, said the Martinez family were members of the Aeta community.
The boy, “Ivan,” and his family were sleeping when the fire broke out around 9:13 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19.
Lepaña said the pregnant mother, Jessa Martinez, braved the fire to save her four other children. Jessa was brought to the hospital for sustaining second-degree burns on her hand and foot.
Her husband, Gary, tried to put out the fire with the help of their neighbors, but the blaze completely gutted their dwelling. On top of grieving for his deceased son, he also lamented that all of their savings for when Jessa gave birth were also turned to ashes.
The house reportedly had no electricity, and Gary believes the lighted candle on their table was what likely caused the fire./PN
