Seven members of a Chinese-Filipino family, including five children, were killed in an early Sunday morning fire in Cebu City.

City fire marshall Ishmael Codilla said they found the charred bodies of Chong Eng King Chua,79, Helen Cue Chua, 55, Aida Marie Chue, 16, Arvin Chua, 13, Arjohn Chua, 12, Karen Cue Chua, 15, and Kenneth Cue Chua, 10.

The family was inside their house which was at the second floor of a two-story building at Cabuya street in Lower Cogon, Cebu City. The ground floor was used by the family for their business of making ice cream cones under Easter Foods.

Investigators said the fire started at 1:23 a.m. Workers heard an explosion from the ground floor of the building. They said they tried to call on the family members who were at the upper floor but they were trapped in the fire.

The fire destroyed an estimated P 1 million worth of properties. The Bureau of Fire Protection will conduct further investigation on the incident.