Makati fire kills grandma, 3 children

MANILA, Philippines - A fire of still undetermined origin razed a bungalow in Makati City early yesterday, killing a 65-year-old woman and three children.

Arson investigator Senior Fire Officer 1 Wilfredo Nardo identified the victims as Mila Sabio and her grandchildren Ariane Aquino, 12; Teody Perez, 13 and Andrea Marie Banquiles, 7.

Initial investigation showed that the fire started at about 1:59 a.m. and quickly swept through the house located at Block 95, Lot 11, Waterlily street, Barangay Rizal.

The blaze that only reached the second alarm was put out by responding firemen at about 2:49 a.m. The fire did not spread to adjacent houses, Nardo said.

Arson investigators found two victims at the kitchen while the other two victims were found in one of the bungalow’s two bedrooms. The victim’s were charred beyond recognition, investigators said.

According to investigators, the children were left by their parents to accompany Sabio for the night when the fire struck.

Investigators are looking at the possibility that the victims could have suffocated from the smoke and were prevented from escaping the fire.