6 killed in Bacolod pension house fire

The aftermath of fire that hit a pension house in Bacolod City early morning on Tuesday. Archie Rey Alipalo/PN
The aftermath of fire that hit a pension house in Bacolod City early morning on Tuesday. Archie Rey Alipalo/PN

BACOLOD City – Six persons died including a minor after they were trapped inside a burning five-storey pension house here early Tuesday morning.

According to city fire marshal Publio Ploteña, the fire broke out around 4:37 a.m. at the ground floor area of the Java Pension House owned by Christopher Java.

It took about five hours before the blaze was put out, Ploteña said.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) identified the fatalities as the following:

* Christopher Java, 33 (owner)

* Christian Java, 12 (son)

* Magdalena Java, 73 (mother)

* Ronalyn Dacalio, 43 (housekeeper)

* Arnold Felomino, 58

* Chinese national who was only identified as “Mr. X,” 50

The victims, according to Ploteña, were probably suffocated and were not able to find the fire exit due to panic.

Four persons – including an Australian national – were also injured. They were rushed to a hospital here, said Ploteña, adding that they have yet to determine their identities as of press time.

He disclosed that the blaze is considered as the worst in Bacolod City this year, with estimated damage pegged at around P8 million.

“We are still in the process of gathering witnesses and reviewing close circuit television cameras to determine the cause and origin of the blaze,” the fire marshal said.

Java Pension House house was formerly known as the Bascon Hotel.

Dodong Bascon, formerly the owner of the said hotel, stood emotional when he visited the ruins of the building.

According to Bascon, they occupied the building in 1965 and stayed for about 40 years before they moved out. The establishment was leased by Don Bagatsing to the Java family, he said.

Executive Assistant Jomarie Vargas, cluster head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

Office (CDRRMO), said that the death could have been evaded if there was a fire alarm.

Vargas said that Mayor Evelio Leonardia had set a meeting today, Nov.27 together with the CDRRMO, BFP and other concerned agencies for the creation of a task force in relation to the fire incident./PN

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