As the province mourned its first fatality in a fire in four years, the Bureau of Fire Protection called on the public to remain calm during such an incident and exit the building quickly to avoid being trapped.
In an interview last week, fire arson investigator FO1 Syril John Rape of the BFP Virac Fire Station advised that upon noticing flames or smoke, residents inside the house should stay calm, alarm all their companions and proceed to the nearest exit.
Outside and away from danger, they should account for all family members to make sure nobody was left behind, he said,
“One should never go back inside to get something, as it takes only a few seconds for someone to succumb to toxic smoke,” he warned.
Initial reports indicate that the lone fatality, the 17-year-old girl was heard warning about the blaze, with her mother, a child and a dog hurriedly going out of the one-story row house unit.
According to reports, the girl apparently went back to get something and fell on the floor, with one of her hands open as if holding something.
The fire started a few minutes before midnight of June 22, 2026, with Punong Barangay Maristela Ubalde calling the fire station at 11:59 PM.
BFP personnel on board a fire truck arrived at 12:10 AM with the fire already consuming the house.
“We found it hard to get inside due to lots of smoke,” they said, even with the use of a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) that provides air to fire personnel in hazardous environments filled with smoke and toxic gases.
The responders tried to ventilate the house to remove the heavy pall of smoke, with one fireman trying to open the GI roof but failing. Neighbors were also unable to help put out the fire due to lack of water in their faucets.
The investigation is still ongoing as of press time as the probers were unable to clear the interior due to lots of debris and the need to recover the body of the victim who sustained third-degree burns.
The house had two rooms, both of which were not being used for sleeping. The back room was utilized for storage of various materials while the front room, where the fire is believed to have started, was being used for charging electronic devices.
FO1 Rape said the source of the fire could be indicated by alligatoring, a fire damage pattern where the surface of materials, especially wood, develops deep, wide cracks resembling an alligator’s skin, providing clues about fire behavior.