Boy, grandma save 2 kids in fire
Boy, grandma save 2 kids in fire
IF not for 14-year-old Mervin Dejino, his sister could have died in a fire in Barangay Bulacao, Cebu City last Saturday afternoon.
Mervin saved Princess, 1, when flames quickly engulfed their house in Sitio Laguna at 1:40 p.m. He recalled that he ran toward home when he heard his younger siblings crying.
When he entered the living room, his saw flames snaking up to the ceiling. His gaze then shifted to Princess, whose clothes had caught fire. Despite his small build, Mervin immediately took his sister and put out the flames.
His other sibling John Lloyd, 5, was grabbed by his grandmother.
“Mamatay gyud ‘ta to siya kon wala pa nako naadto dayon (She might have died if I had not gone to her right away),” he said in an interview with Sun.Star Cebu.
Mervin was at his grandmother’s house when the fire started. His mother Marylou was elsewhere, earning money as a manicurist.
Princess, the youngest in the brood
of seven, suffered burn injuries in the back, arms, and forehead. She is currently confined in the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).
Dr. Ester Concha, head of City Hall’s Department of Social Welfare Services (DSWS), reported that 20 families or 85 individuals were affected by the blaze.
They were temporary sheltered inside Bulacao Community School’s gymnasium.
At least 13 homes were destroyed while four people were injured in the second-alarm blaze. Damage was pegged at P300,000.
Wires
Initial reports suggested that Marylou’s children may have set off the fire when they played with matches.
But Mervin, in his siblings’ defense, said the flames started in their ceiling and he heard a series of explosions in the electrical wires.
Nenita Alit, one of the barangay councilors, told Sun.Star Cebu they will meet today to discuss if they can use their calamity fund.
“Tabangonon pa ‘to namo ang mga na- injured (We still need to help those who were injured),” she said.
Aside from Princess, a certain Elimino Rodrigo fractured his left foot after he was accidentally run over by a fire truck.
Ten-year-old Jessa Althea Saduca broke her right elbow after she was pinned down by a trisikad.
Help
Meanwhile, James Villamero was injured after he fell from the rooftop when he tried to save his belongings.
The barangay councilwoman said they will refer the victims to the City Government’s free medical program.
As of yesterday, the victims received free food and used clothing from DSWS and their neighbors. Several politicians also gave support to the fire victims.
“Nagpasalamat gyud ang uban kay wala nikatay ang kayo tungod dali naabot ang bombero. Mas daghan ‘ta to ang mawadan ug balay karon (The community is grateful that the firefighters arrived quickly and kept the flames from spreading. Otherwise, more people could have been left homeless),” Alit said.