An 80-year-old Japanese man died after he was trapped inside his burning house in Purok Lumboy, Brgy. Tabugon, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, Tuesday morning, October 3.
Investigator FO3 John Dereck Villaruz of the Bureau of Fire Protection-Kabankalan said that Gaiji Fukuda was sleeping when the fire broke out and was unable to get out of his room.
The fire station is 35 kilometers away from Tabugon, an upland barangay of Kabankalan, Villaruz said.
The father-in-law of the Japanese tried to rescue him but could not get through the fire, Villaruz added.
The victim’s wife, Ma. Leni Fukuda, 32, brought the body of the victim to Bacolod City, while the Scene of the Crime Operatives conducted an investigation in the area of the incident.
BFP-Kabankalan estimated the damage to the house at P117,000.
An investigation is still ongoing to determine the cause of the fire, Villaruz said.*