Report: 3 infants rescued from burning orphanage in Roxas City

Three infants were among those rescued from a burning orphanage in Roxas City in Capiz province over the weekend. The Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported on Monday the fire struck the Our Lady of Grace Academy in Lunoy village in Roxas City early on Saturday. The academy-orphanage run by Dominican nuns has in its custody 28 orphans, the PNA reported. The PNA report quoted Fire Officer 2 Ramil Arquisola as saying the fire started at around 4:35 a.m. on Saturday while the nuns and 25 orphans were attending the Dawn Mass (Simbang Gabi). Only four helpers and the three infants were left at the building when the fire broke out. A certain Christian Chu, was the first to come to the rescue of the victims after the fire broke out. The fire reached the second alarm and razed 12 rooms and portions of the chapel. The firefighters managed to save only a single room at the second floor and the kitchen. The initial investigation showed that the fire started when a ceiling fan "overheated." The arson investigators estimated the damage to property at P1.2 million. The PNA report quoted Social Welfare and Development regional director Minda Brigoli as saying that they will check whether the facility is an accredited orphanage. – VVP, GMANews.TV