Eight students died while four others were injured when a fire hit a boarding house in Sampaloc, Manila, yesterday morning.

Four of the fatalities were identified as Joey Dangaran, 25, Jelmar Capati, 19, Mark Lester Relente, 22, and Vanessa Lachica, 25.

Fire investigators are still trying to identify the four other fatalities — one female and three males — whose bodies were charred beyond recognition.

Four boarders were also injured after they jumped from the second floor of the burning boarding house.

The survivors who suffered minor injuries were identified as Ryan Pilapil, 23, Maridel Bad-ang, 25, Marilou Larango, 22, and Leyda Andion, 30.

Fire Officer 1 Guillermo Firmalino Jr. of the Manila Fire Department, said the fire broke out at 3:36 a.m. yesterday, gutting down a two-story boarding house located on 833 P. Campa St., Sampaloc, Manila. The boarding house was made of wood and light materials.

Firmalino said the fire started at the kitchen of the boarding house. The blaze immediately engulfed the residential structure.

The investigators said the victims were sleeping when the fire broke out.

Firemen put out the blaze at 5:46 a.m. after it reached fifth alarm.

Damage to property was placed at R1.8 million.

Probers said they were investigating claims that an unattended gas stove might be the cause of the blaze as some of the boarders alleged.

Last Jan. 2, a husband and wife were killed when a fire broke out at a seven-story commercial-residential building in Tondo, Manila.

Killed were Lorenzo Ngo, 51, and his wife, Virginia. They were staying in Rooms 601 and 604 at the Josefa Building located on 587 Padre Rada corner Ilaya Streets, Tondo, Manila.

Probers said the Jan. 2 fire broke out at 4:36 a.m. and started on the sixth floor of Josefa Building. The building is owned by the Lopez family.

Lillian Tacud, 38, who was staying in Room 605 of the Josefa Building, told probers that she was awakened by a fire alarm system.

When she rushed out of her room, she said she saw thick black smoke coming from Rooms 601 and 604 being occupied by Lorenzo Ngo and his family.

Firefighters rescued the couple’s children identified as Laurelyn, Ailenette, Lorbin, and Lester.

After the blaze was put out at 6:30 a.m., the firemen found the body of Ngo at the fire scene.

Virginia was taken to the Metropolitan Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Fire investigators said damage at the building and damaged to property was placed at R100,000. The cause of the fire has not yet been established by probers.