It was chaos near downtown Belize City at noon today as a fast burning fire engulfed a wooden house two blocks west of Albert Street. It was at the corner of George and King Streets and arson seems to have been the case. Keith Swift reports.
Keith Swift Reporting,
You are looking at amateur video taken minutes after the fire started – and before the fire trucks arrived. It shown the two story wooden house completely engulfed in flames – creating what looks like one giant fire ball – that was belching clouds of black smoke over the city at the midday rush hour – just two blocks from downtown. Fernando Zelaya who lives right next to the burning house called 911.
Fernando Zelaya, Area Resident
“I was in the restroom and then somebody called me and said Fernando your house is on fire and people downstairs and I know I only called by dad when they are paying some bill but when I came out they said that the house next door is on fire and I was like again, because the next one recently burnt in December, I wasn’t here, I just came down from the United States on Monday and they said this house is burning and I instantly called 911 and they put me onto the Fire Department and I said to please we need a fire engine over here and they said the fire engine truck is on its way. I tried to get everybody out, to alert them that the house is on fire next door.”
Kenneth Mortis, Fire Station Supervisor
“At about 11:52 this morning the fire station received the call of a house fire at the said address. We dispatched and we arrived here at 11:55. On arrival we saw that particular building fully engulfed in flames. The building is a two storey wooden structure zinc roofing, approximately 24 by 20 in size. At 12:07 the fire was brought under control and our guys are now at the mopping up stage.”
Neighbours say the house was abandoned but Ali Staine who lives across the street says he saw a man leaving the house just moments before the fire started.
Ali Staine, Area Resident
“I see when the boy gone upstairs there and I was talking to a customer. The boy came down and he gone through the back and when he was going, before he got by Sen Sen I see smoke the pop out of the place.”
Keith Swift,
So you think he set it?
Ali Staine,
“Definitely because no electric current is there.”
Keith Swift,
What reason would he have to do that though?
Ali Staine,
“Well that’s a 64 dollar question. Psychologically they lazy, don’t like work, and want free money. That is all I could tell you. I can’t say any thing else about those kind of men. They get work and they walk off their job because they don’t want work at night. They bloody worthless.”
The Fire Department is still investigating to determine if it was indeed arson.
