An 83-year-old woman’s house in Tagbilaran City was razed by a fire which was believed to have been ignited by an unattended candle left lit at an altar.

According to FO3 Dennis Calunia of the Tagbilaran City Fire Station, they were alerted of the fire at 7:15 p.m. but when they arrived the fire had already engulfed the house in Purok 3, Barangay Taloto which was made of concrete and light materials.

“Nadawat namo ang tawag 7:15 pero pag abot namo dako na kaayo ang kayo so earlier pa adtong pagdawat namo sa tawag nagstart na tong sunog,” he said.

The fire was declared under control at 7:31 p.m. and was put out before it could spread to neighboring houses.

Calunia said that the house’s owner, Henerosa Gallemit, was unscathed as she was assisted by her neighbor Boditch Fernandez in getting out of the burning house.

Based on initial investigation of the Tagbilaran fire authorities, Gallemit who was alone inside the house at that time left a candle unattended as she fell asleep after praying the rosary.

 “Nagrosaryo daw ni siya [Gallemit] unya naggamit og kandila ‘nya nakatog siya na wa niya ma paw’ng ag kandila…Nakamata nalang siya tungod siguro sa kainint o sa aso ba kaha to, mao to wa na dako na kaayo ang kayo,” he said.

Gallemit’s daughter Erna, 49, who lived with her was not at their house at the time as she was sweeping floors at a nearby church.

According to Calunia, the fire left P80,000 worth of property damage.

Another daughter of Gallemit, Edna, took in her mother and sister who were left homeless by the blaze. (A. Doydora)