A 98-year-old bedridden man who was unable to escape a fire that broke out in his bedroom died on Tuesday morning from burns and possible smoke inhalation.

Fire Officer 2 Jan Asas of the Alburquerque Fire Station said cigarette smoking by the victim, Juan Boquit of Sta. Filomena, Alburquerque caused the fire that claimed his life.

Investigators believe that Bosquit was not able to properly dispose of his cigarette butt which then burned the lower portion of his blanket, igniting the fire as the victim fell asleep.

“Cigarette butt, upos sa sigarilyo maoy hinungdan, wa niya siguro matarong og labay didto sa iyang habol sa tiilan napadong, unya siya bedridden na di na ka bakod,” said Asas. 

Bosquit’s charred remains were found by his niece Agnes Siguran who also put out the fire that burned the victim’s bed.

Siguran immediately alerted the authorities but Boquit was declared dead on the spot by the emergency responders.

“Dihay pag-umangkon niya na naghatod og pagkaon maoy nakabantay niya na nasunog na,” said Asas.

According to the fire officer, Boquit was living alone and was only regularly fed by his relatives who live nearby.

Bosquit was known to regularly smoke and usually threw away his cigarette butts outside through a window beside his bed.

No one else was injured by the blaze while there was no reported property damage except for Bosquit’s bed which was incenirated. (A. Doydora)