2 children killed, 1 hurt in Las Piñas fire

MANILA, Philippines - Two Arabian children were burned beyond recognition while another one was severely hurt in a 30-minute fire that razed their house in a posh Las Piñas City village before dawn yesterday.

Fire investigator SFO4 Roberto Nullan identified the fatalities as Ameerah Nadil Al-Saad, 14; and Ibrahim, 12. Their bodies were found beside each other about “three to four steps near the exit door,” he added.

The victims’ older sister, Sarah, 16, sustained severe burns and was rushed to the Perpetual Help Hospital in the city, Nullan said.

According to Nullan, the victims’ stepmother, Mae, and a househelper went out of the house along Lennox Ann street in BF Resort village at Barangay Talon 2 to buy bread for breakfast before the fire started about 3:52 a.m. When they returned, their bungalow-type apartment was already destroyed by the fire, Nullan said.

The victims’ father, an Arabian trader, is reportedly in Saudi Arabia for the celebration of Eid’l Fitr.

The fire reached first alarm and was put out at around 4:15 a.m. Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fire, but property damage was pegged at P1.5 million.

The remains of the two children are at the Pilipinas Funeral Homes.