4 young sibilings perish in Zamboanga town fire

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Four young siblings, aged four to nine years old, died when they were trapped inside their burning home in Mahayag town, Zamboanga del Sur, on Thursday night.

Zamboanga Peninsula Police Region 9 (PRO-9) Director Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Genaro E. Ylagan identified the children, all bearing the surname Colanggo, as Gian, 9; Njay, 8; Anthon, 7, and Christian, 4.

Ylagan said the incident took place about 10 p.m. Thursday in Purok 1, Sitio Bayanihan i, Barangay Lower Salug Daku in Mahayag town in Zamboanga del Sur.

According to Ylagan, the four children were left by their father identified as Gil Albatera Colanggo, 43, a farmer, at around 9:30 p.m. to attend the wake of a relative just a kilometer away from their house.

But when he returned less than an hour later, he was terrified to find their house already razed. He later learned that his four children were not able to get out of their house.

But Ylagan said some neighbors said it was impossible for the children to get trapped inside the house.

The mother of the children is reportedly working abroad.

Ylagan said the police in Mahayag will conduct a thorough investigation as to the cause of the incident, and why the children were not able to get out of the burning house.