• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Two young children died while their grandfather was injured in a fire that hit their home at Purok Lison, Barangay 1 in Bacolod City early Tuesday morning (May 20).
The fatalities were an eight-year-old boy and his six-year-old sister.
The injured, Eduardo Gutierrez, 63, suffered burns in his right arm, right side of his face and left forearm while attempting to rescue the children, according to the Bureau of Fire and Protection (BFP).
The BFP reported that the residence of the victim was totally destroyed.
Prior to the incident, purok chairman Andy Birzuel said there was a power outage at about 8 p.m. Monday when a transformer exploded, prompted some residents to use candles.
According to reports, the mother of the two minors left them at about 1 a.m. to buy food, with their grandfather in a neighboring house looking after them.
Gutierrez, who tried to rescue his two grandchildren, was also hurt the by the fire.
When the fire was placed under control, the BFP personnel discovered the charred bodies of the two children.
BFP probers are still investigating the cause of the fire. | GB
