An 86-year-old woman died when a fire hit her family’s home in Cabatuan, Iloilo afternoon on Sunday, July 5, 2026.

The victim, Salvacion Larios, was trapped in her room. She became bedridden after suffering a stroke.

Her brother, tried to save her only to sustain first and second degree burns.

Her nephew, Mike, said he and his father wanted to go back into the house to save Larios but thought that because the fire was already too big, it would have been impossible for them to get out alive.

“Papasok sana kaming dalawa pero sabi namin, kung papasok kami, wala na. Hindi na kami makakalabas. Stroke siya. Mga high school pa ako. Kaya sana ng katawan niya kaya lang, sa tingin ko, na-suffocate siya,” Mike said.

SFO4 Jemboy Pacardo, acting municipal fire marshal of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Cabatuan, said investigation continues, as of this writing, to determine the cause of the fire.

“Uunahin muna natin na i-establish ang origin then maka-establish ng pinagmulan (ng apoy). Kinukuha natin ang patterns at facts dito sa fire scene,” he said.

Damage to property was pegged at P255,000.