A 69-year-old woman and a dog were killed in a fire that hit a neighborhood in Barangay Ilijis in Bacolod City evening on May 6, 2026.

The woman was identified as Rosa Magbanua. She was trapped in the house she shared with her husband, Jose, 62.

Jose sustained second degree burns on his neck and back.

Jose said he tried to save his wife but she reportedly let go of his hand and told him to save himself.

“Isalba ko raw ang sarili ko. Pero siya, hindi nakaligtas. Binitawan niya ang kamay ko. Mahal na mahal ko siya,” he recalled painfully.

Their neighbors tried to help but the fire reportedly grew fast. They said they could still hear Rosa’s cries for help.

“Sumisigaw siya ng aray, aray… hindi namin siya mailigtas kasi ang laki na ng apoy. May pumutok pa,” said Jimmy, a survivor.

Meanwhile, the pet dog of another survivor, Fernando Lanay, also got trapped in the house and died.

“Mabuti pa sana kung dahil sa sakit. Ang sakit na nasunog siya, na-trap,” he said.

Firefighters had a difficult time reaching the fire site because the road was too narrow.

The fire affected six houses.

Firefighters said the cause may have been caused by a power bank that overheated.

“Ang cause of fire natin ay lithium battery explosion caused by thermal runway. ‘Yung power bank ang ginagamit nilang pang-charge sa portable fan nila. According sa mga residents, tinanggal naman nila sa pagkaka-charge. Posible na ‘yung powerbank, poor ‘yung quality,” said Fire Insp. Jemarie Tapiru, Deputy Fire Marshal of Bacolod City.