A residential fire in Naga City, Cebu, led to the total destruction of a home but, more importantly, a harrowing rescue of two young children who had been left alone. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning, December 4, 2025, in Barangay Naalad.
Timely Rescue Prevents Tragedy
The fire erupted at 11:49 AM. At the time, the house was occupied only by two minors: a 4-year-old child and a 1-year-old infant. Their parents and guardian were all away. The father, an on-call electrician, had left earlier. The 53-year-old grandmother, who was watching them, had gone out to buy food, leaving the children unattended. The mother of the one-year-old was at work as a factory worker in an economic zone.
Alert neighbors noticed the flames and saw the four-year-old run out of the burning structure, leaving the infant behind. A 59-year-old neighbor, Segundina Augus, courageously entered the smoke-filled house. She found the one-year-old child crying in the kitchen and successfully carried them to safety.
Investigation Points to Electrical Fault
FO2 Alvin Curtina, an investigator from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Naga City Fire Station, confirmed that no adult was supervising the children at the time of the fire. Initial findings from the ongoing investigation suspect faulty electrical wiring as the probable cause. It was revealed that the homeowner had directly tapped into the main power line.
The fire was quickly extinguished, preventing it from spreading to neighboring homes. The blaze resulted in an estimated property damage worth PHP 8,500.
Separate Fire Incident in Cebu City
In a separate event, another fire struck Sityo Kawayan, Barangay Sambag II in Cebu City just a day earlier, on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, past 5:00 PM. Two houses were destroyed in that incident. Residents managed to control the flames through a cooperative bucket relay before firefighters arrived.
The Naga City incident serves as a critical reminder of the dangers of leaving children unattended and the importance of proper electrical installation in homes.
