MANILA -- Six people, including children, were killed when a house went up in flames in Villa Corina Subdivision, Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Quezon City, early Saturday morning.

The six victims included three children ages 2, 7 and 12; their parents and 79-year-old grandfather, firefighters said.

Their neighbors said they tried to rescue the victims from the burning house, which started around 1 in the morning.

"Ginawa ng isang kapitbahay, umakyat dito sa puno para buksan yung gate... sinabuyan namin nang sinabuyan ng tubig pero di na rin maawat," said Rommel Manabat, one of the witnesses.

"Lumalaki na yung sunog pumuputok na wire, ayun nagsigawan na kami," Manabat added.

SFO4 Rolando Valena, an investigator of Quezon City's Bureau of Fire Protection, said it was possible that the victims were trying to escape but did not succeed.

"Yung bunso dala ng nanay sa hagdan... 'yung dalawa sa may second floor at yung dalawa ay nasa ground floor... talagang gusto nilang bumaba subalit siyempre, yung apoy eh naharangan na nila," Valena said.

Authorities declared fire out around 3:20 a.m.

Based on BFP's assessment, the house was old and made of wood, which allowed the fire to spread quickly.

"Yung second floor ng bahay gawa sa kahoy... tsaka yung mga partition tsaka yung kanilang mga gamit sa bahay. Sinaunang structure... 'Yung bahay walang fire exit at puro grills," Valena added.

The BFP is still investigating the cause of the incident.

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