Two college students, including a nursing student, were found dead after becoming trapped in a fire that destroyed a rented two-story house in Barangay Nazareth, Cagayan de Oro City, authorities said.
The victims, identified as “Sam,” 22, the house owner’s daughter, and “Cris,” 20, a nursing student from Barangay Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, were reported missing after the fire broke out shortly after 6 a.m.
Barangay Nazareth Chairperson Atty. Regine Rodriguez said authorities recovered the bodies shortly after noon.
The remains were reportedly no longer recognizable following the fire and will undergo an autopsy by the Forensic Unit of Region 10.
According to the house owner, who is also the father of one of the victims, some boarders managed to jump from the second floor to escape. However, Sam and Cris failed to get out of the burning building.
Initial findings from Cagayan de Oro Fire District Chief Operations Senior Inspector John Rey-an Donasco showed that approximately 48 people were affected by the fire.
Four houses were destroyed, resulting in an estimated 800,000 pesos in structural damage, according to the initial investigation.
Three other individuals sustained injuries and were taken to a hospital for medical treatment.
Authorities said they had found no initial indication of foul play in the incident. However, a deeper investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire remains ongoing.
The incident prompted grief among the victims’ nursing classmates and their families following the recovery of the two bodies.
Investigators continue to examine the fire as authorities work to establish the circumstances that led to the deaths and the destruction of the houses. VIA Noel Registos | 102.5 Brigada News FM Cagayan de Oro
