MANILA, Philippines - A man was found dead meters away from his home in Zamboanga City, which was razed by fire before dawn Sunday.

The man was identified as Nurwin Vasquez of Barangay Campo Islam.

Vasquez’s wife, Rosalyn Laja and children Jeian, 2 and Jumadir, 1 and mother-in-law, Saddan 48, died in the fire.

Their charred bodies were found on the second floor.

Senior Superintendent Edwin de Ocampo of the Zamboanga City Police Office said the fire broke out around 2:30 a.m..

De Ocampo said that the fire started from the ground floor. He said that before the fire broke out, the neighbors heard a loud explosion coming from the victims’ home.

He said that according to fire investigators, the explosion could have been caused by a liquefied petroleum gas tank.

De Ocampo said there is a possibility that the incident is a case of arson.

He said that after the fire was put out by firefighters, Vasquez turned up dead and his body was found away from his razed home with multiple gunshot wounds in the back.

He said that there is also a possibility that Vasquez was the one who set the fire in his own home.

De Ocampo said that according to the victims’ neighbors, Vasquez and his wife had been fighting lately and he has been threatening to set the house on fire.

Investigations were still ongoing. - Report from David Santos, ABS-CBN Zamboanga