ILOILO City — A 25-year-old man died after a fire razed a repair shop in Barangay Balabago, Jaro district early Monday morning, February 16, authorities confirmed.
According to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Iloilo City, the blaze struck Reygan Repair Shop and Services, owned by Reygan Ancita, covering a floor area of approximately 187 square meters.
Firefighters responded within seven minutes after receiving the alarm at around 3:05 a.m. The fire was declared under control at 3:39 a.m. and fire out at 3:54 a.m.
Senior Fire Officer 1 Denmark B. Macoco, acting chief of the Intelligence and Investigation Unit of the Iloilo City Fire Station, identified the fatality as Rostom Ancita, 25. He was reportedly inside the establishment when the fire broke out.
“Initial information indicates the victim was sleeping inside the shop and may have been intoxicated,” Macoco said, noting that no other injuries were reported.
The victim’s family shared that he had recently returned from Antique to help with the shop’s operations. However, relatives were reportedly unaware that he had already arrived and was staying on the premises.
Four fire trucks and one ambulance were deployed to the scene after the fire reached the first alarm. Authorities estimated the property damage at approximately P65,000.
As of this writing, the BFP-Iloilo City was still investigating the incident to determine the exact cause of the fire./PN
