Two separate fires have destroyed properties in Belize City. The first was reported at 3:35 am on Sunday morning, near Sunspree Resort in the University Heights neighborhood. A neighbor woke up smelling smoke and called the Fire Department. Assistant Fire Chief Ted Smith told us that when his men arrived, they found three cabanas inside the compound engulfed in flames.
Ted Smith, Assistant Fire Chief
"We immediately deployed two trucks to the scene. On arrival we found three cabanas on fire. The department immediately extinguished those three cabanas. The investigation has commenced but it has not yet concluded.
On the scene the truck was to themselves only the cabanas, it was not a threat to other structures in my opinion. In my opinion it wasn't threatening any other structure but the three cabanas.
Information available at this time is the cabanas weren't occupied at the time however we are yet to speak with the, the investigator is to speak with the owner."
Managers at the resort tell us that nothing was salvaged from the flames, each cabana is valued at $25,000. They were all insured. The second blaze occurred in Belama Phase 3. The call for that one came in at 3l45 am, exactly 24 hours after the Sunspree Fire. Smith reports that fire crews were ready to control a blaze in a residential area.
Hugh Bowden,
"I saw the house under fire so I decided that I will call 911 and when I made the call the fire department responded along with the police very quick and efficient. At the time, the fire department and the situation, of how the house is right now, I think that the Fire Department did a good job."
Ted Smith,
"At about 03:52 we responded to a structural fire in Belama Phase 3. On arrival we found one two storey structure, lower concrete and upper zinc and wooden engulfed in flames. Only the upper structure was in engulfed in flames. Immediately the fire department went into operations, contained the fire within the structure and extinguished the fire. That investigation is still ongoing at this time. At this time we do not know what caused that fire. The house was occupied at the time bya Mr. Castillo and his son."
Jules Vasquez,
Were they able to escape unhurt or how did they became aware of the fire?
Ted Smith,
"Information available is that the father apparently got up and saw the fire in his house and information also available is that no one got hurt from that fire. Normally when you are asleep and a fire develops with smoke, it can cause one to be overcome by the smoke and you fall into a deeper sleep or unconscious. In most cases the smoke will kill the individual before the fire reaches them."
Jules Vasquez,
So they were very fortunate?
Ted Smith,
"Very much so."
Hugh Bowden,
"When I came out here I thought the owner and his son were inside there at the time of the fire."
Alfonso Noble,
Did you speak to them? Did they tell you what might have caused the fire?
Hugh Bowden,
"Well I spoke to them and they told me that they were sleeping when they felt the heat and they ran out of the house and left everything inside there."
The Fire Department has not yet determined what caused either fire.
