By: Jennifer P. Rendon
A 64-YEAR-OLD woman died in a fire that gutted their house evening of July 14, 2019 in Passi City, Iloilo.
Rosie Huenda failed, or rather refused, to get out as the fire razed their house located at Sitio Tac-on, Barangay Gemumua-Agahon.
Fire Officer 3 Efren Pilarco Jr., Bureau of Fire Protection-Passi City investigator, said the blaze erupted at around 7:45 p. m. but they received the fire call at 8:24 p.m.
“When we arrived at the area, the house was already reduced into ashes. We just used pails of water to douse the embers,” Pilarco said.
It was gathered that the barangay is a far-flung area and was nearer to San Enrique town.
Fire fighters had to walk around 500 meters as their truck could not penetrate the area.
The incident was first reported to San Enrique Police Station which called Passi City Police Station and in turn informed the fire bureau.
Pilarco said they are still investigating the cause of fire.
The victim was living with her husband, 64-year old Daniel. The couple has four children but all are living independently.
Daniel said he and his wife consumed whisky prior to the incident.
When they were halfway of the second bottle, Daniel said he went ahead to sleep.
He was awakened shortly by smoke engulfing their house.
The husband claimed he then told her wife that they should get out.
But Rosie vehemently refused and allegedly said she wanted to die.
While his wife was still inside the house, Daniel said he then decided to douse the fire until they ran out of water.
Pilarco said the couple had not been using electricity and depended on a gas lamp for lighting.
He said they could not yet determine if Rosie set the house on fire.
Damage to property was pegged at P13,500.
