A FOUR-YEAR-OLD girl who was seen playing with matches might have been responsible for the fire that razed a house in Barangay Balud in the southern town of Dalaguete Sunday morning, Jan. 31, 2021.
The girl was unharmed during the incident.
Before the fire broke out, Sheila (real name withheld for being a minor) was left alone in the house while her grandmother went to buy something in the neighborhood store.
There was nobody else in the house as Sheila’s parents and her grandfather were at work, according to Cpl. Sim Pacaldo of the Dalaguete Police Station.
The grandmother earlier noticed the girl playing with a box of matches and thought nothing of it. That’s why she did not take it away from the girl.
While on her way home, she noticed a commotion. She then heard neighbors shouting that her house was on fire.
Sheila had managed to get out unscathed and was brought to a safe area.
By the time the firefighters arrived, the house, which was made of mixed materials, was already leveled.
Pacaldo said the fire investigator pegged the damage at P100,000. (GPL / KAL)