MANDALUYONG City – A mother and daughter were charred to death when they were trapped inside their house that was razed Saturday night.

Damage to property was estimated at P3 million.

Fo2 Marcos Cabiso and Fo1 Eugene Tanguiling, arson investigators identified the fatalities as 64-year-old Concepcion Gohu, Chinese businesswoman, and her 33-year-old daughter Catherine and a resident of 703 Buffalo St., East Greenhills, Mandaluyong City.

Senior Supt. Carlos De Sagun, Chief Mandaluyong Police dispatched policemen to conduct their own investigation and it was gathered by investigators that the fire was caused by overheating Christmas light decors at the door entrance past 9:30 p.m.

It was gathered that Rockwell Gohu, husband of Concepcion, smelled and saw smoke billowing inside the house and screamed for help to find out what was going on.

The three househelpers namely Leah Tejero, Mel Cris Pelmero, and Eliza Baile were watching TV at the kitchen area in the rear at that time and were all in a hurry to get out of the house for their safety after smoke continued to spread.

“It was confirmed by some arson probers our investigators findings that the caused of the fire was the faulty electrical wiring of the Christmas décor placed at the main door,” said Senior Supt. De Sagun.

The victims killed were trapped inside the library of the house located at the second floor.

The fire reached 3rd alarm and was placed under control 10:45 with the assistance of firefighters of Mandaluyong and other volunteer fire brigades unit.

It can be recalled that a fire caused by Christmas lights also struck the house of former Speaker Jose De Venecia last December 2004 killing his 16-year-old daughter.

Meanwhile, close to P500,000 worth of properties were destroyed while some 50 families went homeless a day after Christmas Day after a large fire hit a residential area in Pasig City Saturday night.

Fire Officer 2 (FO2) Joseph Ismalde of the Pasig City Fire Department-Operations Department said the fire started at the two-story house one Dominador Ablen located at the Villamonsod Compound in Barangay San Joaquin at about 6:53 p.m. and quickly spread to neighboring apartments.

He said the fire reached the fifth alarm and was put out at about 7:48 p.m. No one was hurt or killed in the incident.

He added that some 40 fire trucks went to the scene to help out stop the blaze. Ismalde said the families left homeless as a result of the fire are now being assisted by members of the Department of Social Welfare and Development or (DSWD)

“Nag start ang apoy sa second floor (ng bahay) at mabilis kumalat sa mga katabing bahay. Bale umabot sa fifth alarm ang sunog,” Ismalde told TEMPO/Manila Bulletin in an interview.

He said Fire Officer 1 (FO1) Salvador Norberte is the one conducting a probe to determine the cause of the fire.

Ismalde said the fire in Barangay San Joaquin is the first major fire to hit Pasig City since they went on full alert last December 23 in relation to the Holiday Season.

Meanwhile, a fire also hit a residential area in Centennial 2, Nagpayong, Barangay Pinagbuhatan at about 5:49 p.m. Saturday but this was easily put out by fire fighters minutes later.

“Mabilis ang pagresponde ng ating mga bumbero at naagapan naman kagad ang sunog,” Ismalde said. (With a report from Francis T. Wakefield)