9-year-old PWD dies in Compostela fire

A NINE-YEAR-OLD girl with disability died after a fire razed her family’s house in Purok Mangga, Barangay Bagalnga in the town of Compostela, northern Cebu on Saturday morning, July 30, 2022.The fatality, identified as Quenerich Sotto, was left alone inside the room of their house when the fire broke out, according to investigator Staff Sergeant Daryl Rondina of the Compostela Police Station.Rondina said the girl’s mother, Xyril, went to her cousin’s house, some 50 meters away from the Sottos’ house, to take a bath with her two kids.Sotto’s burned body was found in the bedroom area after the fire was declared under control at 11:20 a.m.FO2 Audi Anthony Viloria of the Bureau of Fire and Protection, said they received the fire alarm at 10:50 a.m and the blaze was possibly caused by a substandard extension wire.“Sa among initial nga imbestigasyon, ang ila ra gigamit extension wire nga substandard pa gyud. Walay outlet. Ug posible nga ni-overload ni sa kadaghan gipangsaksak. Nibuto tungod sa kabug-at.” Viloria said.(Based on our initial investigation, they used a substandard extension wire. The house had no outlet. And it was possible that the extension wire had overloaded because of several plug-ins. It exploded because it was overloaded.)Viloria pegged the damage to properties at P20,000.