4 kids, ex-Army man die in fire

Five persons – an ex-military man and four children aged seven and below – were killed in a 30-minute fire in Malate, Manila, believed to be caused by a toppled candle inside a three-story home that had its electricity cut off eight months ago.

Killed were Patricio Bustillo, 72, reportedly a former Philippine Army soldier, siblings Baby Boy, 4, Mirasol Ballo, 2, Nino, 7, and Marvin Macacando, 3. Except for Bustillo, who only had half of his body burned, all of the children’s bodies were beyond recognition when found.

Reports show the blaze started about 11:30 p.m. at the second floor of the three-story concrete house occupied by the three families, including those of the victims.

The fire from the house, located at 3172 Fidel Reyes st., Malate, Manila, however, did not spread to other homes after it was quickly extinguished by responding firefighters.

According to the Macacando children’s mother, Marilyn, 23, their homes had been without electricity for the last eight months after it was cut off due to their unpaid P30,000 bill. Marilyn said she is a mere laundrywoman while her husband is a pedicab driver.

Four other persons were reportedly hurt in the fire, including the two other children of Marilyn – Nilmar, 5, and Marinel, 4 – whom she was able to save from their building house. The children were reportedly sleeping on the second floor when the fire broke out.

Marilyn said smoke and darkness prevented her from coming back in to save more of her children.

Another survivor, the grandchild of Bustillo, Patrocinio III, groped his way out of the darkness up to the third floor and into the roof where he jumped onto the roof of a neighboring house. All the residents of the house are relatives.

Damage to property was placed by the Manila Fire Department at P100,000.