ILOILO – The house fire in Barangay Pagdugue, Dumangas town that killed a teacher and her three kids are baffling arson investigators. They initially theorized it was due to short circuit. Now they could not discount the possibility of arson.
According to the chief of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Region 6, Senior Fire Superintendent Jerry Candido, the blaze started “under” the house of 38-year-old Rhea Padios.
In determining the origin of the fire, according to Candido, “ginalantaw naton ang portion nga may pinakadaku nga damage.”
He cited the “bridges” connecting the bedroom and study room.
“Nakita naton nga ang bridges ukon balayan sang salog nga dos por tres nga tapi – ang sa idalom nga part – ang pinakadaku nga nasunog. Meaning ang kalayo halin sa idalom balay nila pasaka sa ibabaw,” Candido told Panay News.
“The house was made of light materials gani madasig ang paglapta sang kalayo,” he added.
“Kon electrical (short circuit), dapat ang daku nga damage sa sulod balay nila, indi sa idalom,” Candido further said.
He clarified it was the origin they were certain of, not yet the blaze’s cause.
Candido said they need to talk to the family of the victims.
“But not yet because they are still in a state of shock,” said Candido.
Padios’ house was reportedly robbed a few years ago.
Days before the fire, some persons were allegedly seen roaming near the compound.
According to Candido, an autopsy would be conducted on Padios, her seven-year-old son and daughters aged six and three.
Investigators are also combing debris left by the fire.
The Padios family was sound asleep around 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday when the fire broke out.
PREMONITION?
Rhea had the disaster in premonition, according to Krestala, who introduced herself as a schoolmate and a fortune teller.
According to her, she met with Rhea in April this year and the latter told her about a “bad” dream.
“Nasunog kuno iya gown nga puti. Nagdamgo man sia kuno nga nagkitaay sila sang napatay nya nga co-teacher. Ginhatagan sia tatlo ka bulak,” she claimed.
“For my interpretation, ang tatlo ka flowers naga-symbolize sa tatlo nya ka bata sa diin naga kop-anay sila sang masunog. Masakit gid ang natabo daw nagtu-od iya damgo,” she added.
Rhea’s elder sister, meanwhile, told arson investigators she heard her younger sister asking for help, but she could not save her because the fire quickly spread./PN
