2 dead in residential fire in Sampaloc, Manila

A senior citizen and her household helper died in a fire that engulfed their house in Sampaloc, Manila before dawn on Saturday.

The fatalities were trapped and suffocated in the fire incident that occurred at the corner of Don Quijote and Dapitan Streets around 1 a.m.

Twenty-five firetrucks responded to the fire which reached the first alarm.

One resident said they heard shouts for help coming from the affected house.

"Pamilya sila rito kanina na sumisigaw ng, 'Help! Help.' Akala namin 'yung bata isusugod lang sa ospital. Tapos pagtingin namin diyan sa may bintana, may usok na kaya bumaba kami. Nagsisisigaw na kami dito ng, 'Tulong! May sunog! May sunog,'" the resident said.

(Their family were shouting 'Help! Help.' We thought they had to bring the child to the hospital. But we saw smoke coming out of the window, so we went down. We started shouting, 'Help! Fire! Fire.)

Some residents were able to get out but the two victims were trapped due to the thick smoke.

"Puro usok lang 'yung nakakasalubong natin habang hinahanap natin 'yung dalawang na-trap sa bahay. 'Yun 'yung challenges na na-experience po natin. Mayroon siyang backdoor kaya lang naka-lock siya so hindi rin siya accessible," Fire Chief Inspector Demetrio Sablan Jr., chief of operations of the Manila Fire Station, said.

(We were met with smoke while we were looking for the two residents who were trapped inside the house. Those were the challenges we experienced. They have a backdoor but it was locked so it was not accessible.)

When the fire was placed under control, firemen were able to bring out the two victims. They tried to revive them but since they were unresponsive, they were rushed to the hospital. The two died due to suffocation.

"'Yung dalawa pong sinugod sa ospital, confirmed na po, wala na po. Talagang na-suffocate po kasi. Hindi na po kinaya," Carlito Cabunot, chairman of Barangay 480, Zone 47, said.

(The two who were brought to the hospital have been confirmed dead. They suffocated. Their bodies could not take it.)

The barangay said it will assist the family of the victims.

"'Yung pinaka-immediate 'yung burial assistance, lalong-lalo na po sa kasambahay kasi bago pa lang po siya dito," Cabunot said.

(The most immediate need is burial assistance, especially for the household helper because she was just newly hired.)

The fire was declared out 30 minutes after it started.

The Bureau of Fire Protection is investigating the cause of the fire and determining the estimated cost of damage.

GMA News is trying to get a statement from the victims' families. —report from Gabriel Gonzales/KG, GMA News