A fire that broke out past midnight today in Barangay Biwas, Tanza Cavite, claimed the lives of four people and injured one, while destroying five houses.

The fire was raised to 2nd alarm at 12:03 a.m., trapping the sleeping victims inside their homes. The fatalities were identified as a 68-year-old woman, a 39-year-old man, and two minors aged 12 and 5. A female relative of the victims was also injured and taken to the hospital.

The fire was declared under control at 1:14 a.m. and fire out at 2:39 a.m., with the help of 12 fire trucks from within and outside Cavite. The estimated damage to property was around 9 million pesos.

According to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), they are still conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the fire, while preparing the final and official report on the incident.

A video of the fire scene was shared by Jeffrey Dagsi Ignacio, a resident of the area.