Mom, 6-year-old daughter, 2-year-old son perish in rapid Davao City house fire

· A 35-year-old mother and her two children (aged six and two) died after being trapped in a house fire in Barangay Gumalang, Davao City

· The fire reportedly spread rapidly due to the structure being made of light, highly flammable materials

· Fire investigators indicated that substandard electrical wiring is the possible cause of the fatal blaze

· Authorities found no signs of foul play, confirming the incident was an accidental tragedy

A devastating fire tore through a home in Davao City before dawn on Tuesday, resulting in the tragic deaths of a mother and her two very young children after they became trapped inside the quickly spreading blaze.

The incident, which occurred in the secluded Barangay Gumalang in the Baguio District, has plunged the community into mourning and highlighted the acute dangers posed by fires in residential areas built with highly combustible materials.

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The victims were identified by the Davao City Fire District as 35-year-old Daphne Laurden, her six-year-old daughter, Cara Elloies, and her two-year-old son, Zee.

The fire was reported at approximately 2:27 a.m. Responders from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Central 911 Fire Auxiliary Unit arrived on the scene after receiving the emergency call at 2:40 a.m.

However, the structure, which was constructed primarily of light materials, was already fully engulfed in flames, allowing the blaze to spread with deadly speed.

Firefighters managed to contain the fire by 3:10 a.m. and declared it completely extinguished shortly thereafter.

The rapidity of the fire’s spread proved catastrophic, preventing the mother and her children from finding an escape route.

BFP Calinan investigator FO3 Jason Iguana noted that the initial findings point towards substandard electrical wiring as the possible cause of the blaze.

The nature of the tragedy—a mother desperately unable to save herself and her small children from the flames—is particularly heartbreaking.

Such pre-dawn fires often catch occupants while they are asleep, robbing them of precious seconds needed to react and flee, especially when the home lacks adequate fire safety features like smoke detectors or accessible emergency exits.

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Investigators have determined that no foul play was involved in the incident, which has been classified as an accidental fire.

Out of respect and privacy, the immediate family of the victims did not request a full Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) process at the site, preferring to handle the tragedy privately.

The devastating loss of the young family serves as a painful and urgent reminder for all homeowners to prioritize fire safety.

Authorities continue to stress the importance of regular inspection and maintenance of electrical wiring, especially in older structures, and to ensure homes constructed of highly flammable light materials have a clear and rehearsed evacuation plan.

The community extends its deepest sympathies to the surviving family members as they grapple with this unimaginable and sudden loss.

News, photos, or videos that arouse the interest of netizens would often go viral on social media, due to the attention netizens give them. These viral posts appeal to the emotions of netizens, and in rare cases, this could also happen to ordinary people, making them very relatable.

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In other news, a 52-year-old cyclist was shot dead by an assailant riding a motorcycle along Maharlika Highway in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija. Witnesses heard several gunshots before seeing the victim collapse on the road. The suspect, who was wearing a helmet and jacket, immediately fled the scene on the motorcycle, suggesting a targeted attack. Police are currently investigating all possible angles to determine the motive and identity of the perpetrator.

Still in other news, a 49-year-old backhoe operator drowned after the heavy equipment he was driving capsized in a reclamation area in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental. Initial police findings suggest the machine overturned due to the soft and unstable soil in the coastal area. The operator was trapped inside the cockpit and pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital after an hour-long rescue effort. The local government is expected to review safety protocols for operating heavy machinery in high-risk zones.

Source: KAMI.com.gh