ILOILO – A 19-year-old graduating Alternative Learning System (ALS) student died after a wing van caught fire yesterday morning, March 15, in Barangay Inagdangan Centro, Zarraga, Iloilo.
The victim, identified as Jansen “Miko” Brillo of Barangay Dala, Mina town, was reportedly asleep in the passenger seat of a wing van when the blaze erupted around 5 a.m.
According to Police Captain Beverly Cataluña, officer-in-charge of the Zarraga Municipal Police Station, Brillo was working as part of a sound system crew while pursuing his studies.
His colleagues recounted that after a long night of setting up equipment for a local fiesta, they decided to rest inside the vehicle. While Brillo settled into the front passenger seat, other crew members slept in the back.
The fire went unnoticed by the crew until a passerby alerted them to the flames. By the time they realized Brillo was still inside the vehicle, the fire had intensified, making a rescue attempt impossible.
Initial investigations by Fire Officer 1 Christian Rey Aposaga of the Zarraga Municipal Fire Station suggest the fire likely originated in the area between the driver and passenger seats. At the time of the incident, the van’s engine was turned off. Investigators were exploring several theories, including the possibility that an unextinguished cigarette may have ignited the blaze.
“The crew was unaware that Miko was still inside the van, as two others had awakened and exited earlier,” Aposaga explained. “Unfortunately, Miko was in the front seat with the doors closed, which prevented his escape.”
Officers of the Zarraga Municipal Fire Station discovered the body during firefighting operations. The scene was subsequently processed by the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) to formally identify the victim and gather evidence.
As of press time, authorities continued to investigate the exact cause of the fire to prevent similar tragedies in the future./PN
