Three die in house fire

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi: A mother of four was burned alive trying to save two of her children, who also died, after their house caught fire here on Thursday night.

Yohanna and her four children were asleep when the fire broke out and quickly spread through their small wooden house which doubled as an eatery.

Waking up in panic, the 34-year-old mother grabbed two of her daughters, seven-year-old Devi and five-year-old Debi, and carried them to safety.

She then returned back inside to help her other two children who were still sleeping and unaware of the danger.

However she was trapped by the flames and died along with Darwin, 1, and Dendi, 4.

Residents who gathered at the scene tried to stop Yohanna from reentering the house because by then it was almost totally engulfed in the flames. However Yohanna ignored their warnings.

Firemen who arrived at the scene only a few minutes later could do nothing to help. It took them three hours to bring the blaze under control.

It is thought the fire was caused by a short circuit in one of the three houses which caught fire. (30)