“She Died Alone”: 7-Year-Old Girl Perishes in Locked Bathroom as Fire Engulfs Las Piñas Home

LAS PIÑAS CITY — What was meant to be an ordinary Sunday afternoon turned into a heartbreaking tragedy, as a 7-year-old girl was found lifeless inside the bathroom of her burning home in Golden Acres, Talon Uno.

The child, whose name is being withheld pending notification of family, died of suffocation after she was left locked inside their house when a fire broke out at around 3:00 p.m. along Ube and Ugnayan Streets. The area, made up of tightly packed homes built from wood and light materials, quickly turned into an inferno.

Barangay Chairwoman Irene Gallardo, her voice trembling during an interview, recalled the devastating scene. “We found her inside the bathroom… the water from the faucet was still running. She must’ve been so scared.”

According to Gallardo, the girl’s parent admitted to locking the door before stepping out, unaware that a fire would soon sweep through the neighborhood. “No one thought it would happen. No one imagined she would be gone like this,” she added.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) confirmed the cause of death as suffocation. They believe the fire may have started from an electrical issue in an unoccupied home nearby, whose residents were in the province. A plugged-in appliance or faulty wiring is being considered.

The fire, which lasted more than 30 minutes before being contained, left over 50 families homeless. Many of them had no time to save their belongings, fleeing with only the clothes on their backs. They are now staying at the Golden Acres Covered Court, which has been converted into a temporary shelter.

Among the displaced were neighbors who knew the little girl—some watched her grow up, others played with her just days before. Now, they mourn her as a symbol of a system that failed to protect the most vulnerable.

“She died alone, behind a locked door,” said one resident tearfully. “She didn’t deserve to go that way.”

As relief efforts begin, grief hangs heavy in the air. Local officials have vowed support for the affected families, but no amount of aid can ease the pain of a life lost too soon.

The investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing.