MikeLigalig.com

A female septuagenarian died in a fire early Tuesday in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, where at least five houses were leveled to the ground.

Senior Fire Officer 2 Glen Patrocinio, arson investigator of the Bureau of Fire Protection in the province, said the houses that were razed were those of Ricardo Cataal, Lucero Gayo, Felisa Capa, Marlyn Ramirez and Lolita Silva.

They were clustered in an area along Magallanes Highway in Tanjay City.

The casualty was identified as Hermonina Cataal, 75 years old, sister of Ricardo, who sustained burns in different parts of her body.

The cause of the fire was initially traced to an unattended lighted candle inside the Cataal residence, fire investigators said.

Damage to property was placed at P1 million.

Tanjay City Mayor Lawrence Teves lamented what he described as the lack of preparation by the city’s fire department after he learned that one of the firetrucks bogged down. - PNA