4-11-202 (MANILA) A 14-year-old boy sustained severe burns in a heroic rescue of his younger siblings during a residential fire that broke out in Batasan Hills, Quezon City, on Sunday. The incident left four people injured, including three children.
The teenage hero, who suffered third-degree burns, acted swiftly to save his younger siblings when flames engulfed their family home whilst their parents were absent. Their father was attending church services and their mother was at work at the time of the incident.
John Havinez, the local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer, confirmed that the eldest brother’s injuries were the most serious among the casualties. “His severe burns were a direct result of his brave actions to rescue his younger siblings,” Havinez explained.
The children’s aunt, Rizalyn Talamisan-Remot, who was present on the ground floor with her mother and an infant when the fire started, sustained minor injuries to her foot and leg. She described hearing the children’s panicked screams from upstairs as the situation unfolded.
“His selfless actions were remarkable – he didn’t consider his own safety for a moment. He truly became a hero to his siblings,” Talamisan-Remot said, praising her nephew’s courage.
The fire, which reached first-alarm status, was quickly brought under control by emergency services, with damage limited to three properties in the neighbourhood, according to local officials. All three children are currently receiving medical treatment, with the eldest requiring specialist care for his extensive burns.