3 siblings die, 50 families affected in huge Mati City fire

DAVAO CITY — Three siblings, aged three to 10 years old, were reported killed, while at least 50 families or 135 individuals were displaced after a huge fire razed at least 25 houses in Sampaloc, Barangay Santo Niño in Mati City on Friday evening.

Based on initial data from the Davao Oriental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (PDRRMC), the fire started at about 11:30 p.m. on February 8, Friday, and was still raging at 2 a.m. Saturday, February 9.

The Public Information Office of Davao Oriental initially said that Amely Pearl Halipa, 10; Alicia Cenise Halipa, 8; and Kirsh Heris, 3, were missing.

But on Saturday, Mati Fire Marshal Sr. Insp. Christian Cena confirmed in a radio interview that the three siblings were killed in the fire after they were trapped in their home.

Members of the Mati City and Provincial (DRRMC) of Davao Oriental, along with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Provincial Engineering Office, volunteers, and the police and military, were among those which responded to the incident.

City officials, led by Mati City Mayor Carlo Rabat, and other officials from the provincial government were already coordinating at the fire scene and facilitating interventions.

Fire trucks from towns of Lupon and San Isidro have augmented fire trucks in the city to help control the fire.

Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fire incident, while an evacuation center in Barangay Central in Mati City has been set up to house the 50 affected families in the fire incident.