A two-year-old female toddler remains in critical condition due to burn injuries sustained after her family’s house in Loay was razed to the ground by a fire which was reportedly ignited by an unattended lit candle on Sunday night.
SFO1 Rosalio Pamayloan of the Loay Fire Station told dyRD Balita that victim Candy Balod suffered fourth-degree burns in her back and head.
Balod’s brother Roly Jr., 3 also suffered minor burn injuries while their older sisters Mary Joy, 6, and Rolymae, 7, were unharmed as they guided the younger siblings to safety.
According to Pamayloan, the house caught fire after a candle inside the structure, which was made of light materials, fell to its side burning a large plastic Orocan container.
The siblings had no adult supervision during the incident as their mother was in the hospital taking care of their sick brother while their father, Roly Sr. was delivering lumber to a buyer.
The fire victims were sleeping during the incident, Pamayloan said.
It was reportedly Mary Joy who was first awoken by the fire prompting her to wake her sisters and brother up.
Rolymae ran and called for help while Mary Joy took her younger siblings outside.
Based on initial investigation, Candy was nearest to the fire when it erupted and was under a blanket and a burning mosquito net which reportedly stuck to her skin.
Both Candy and Rolly remained at the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital for treatment as of this posting.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BDP) said that the fire left P10,000 in property damages.
The Balods’ house was made of light materials which allowed the blaze to quickly spread, the BFP added. (A. Doydora)