An entire neighborhood is tonight mourning the loss of one of their most loved residents. 56-year-old Nicholas Reyes had been living on Antelope Street Extension basically his whole life and his neighbors knew him as being reliable, honest, and a constant in the area. He was usually always there when you called him but last night, he couldn't answer as his neighbors screamed his name while his house burnt to the ground.
A fire broke out, taking the home along with his life as he slept. And according to fire personnel, he was most likely dead before the flames caught him.
But with no electricity and no candles, his loved ones are left wondering what could have started the fire. The fire department is investigating, and arson hasn't been ruled out. Courtney Menzies visited the scene today and has this story.
This heap of burnt rubble was once a home for 56-year-old Nicholas Reyes - man beloved by his entire Antelope Street Extension neighborhood. But last night, around 10:30, his little 6X8 home erupted into flames, and the fire claimed his life.
His next-door neighbor, Stephanie Flowers recalled the terrifying scene as she and others attempted to put out the fire.
Voice of: Stephanie Flowers, Neighbor
"Last night I was already in my bed and then I heard my son banging on the window, "mom, mom fire!" So we jumped up and when we came outside the whole house was already engulfed in flames. My nephew, everybody in our yard just grabbed bucket and throw water. My niece call fire truck three time… well, they didn't call the firetruck, they called 911 and the first time, the lady answered, they told her the complaint. The second time when my niece called back because they're taking so long, the lady had an attitude with my niece. My daughter called a third time, they said miss, we done get the report. Well, I could never believe it was so long the fire[truck] would take to reach. We're here just battling this fire, in our yard and over in his yard."
Flowers feels that there must have been a delay between them calling 911 and the operator relaying the message to the fire department. And in the meantime, they started a bucket brigade - but it was futile.
Courtney Menzies:
"So you guys were fulling buckets and throwing it over...?"
Stephanie Flowers, Neighbor
"Yes, we were over this side fighting the fire and the neighbor over there, they were over that side fighting the fire. So black out went and all because there a wire runs across and it caught fire so like you had fireworks back here, it was so frightening."
"We were yelling, "Chico, Chico!" We just keep hollering and my son said he heard someone made a bang but we didn't hear it, and we just kept hollering for him but he did not answer."
And just like that, the man called Chico perished. But what caused it? It wasn't an electrical fire, and Flowers said he didn't use candles. The National Fire Service is now looking at a possible arson.
Kenneth Mortis, Station Supervisor, National Fire Service
"It's too early to tell if it was a malicious act, we need our conclusion based on evidence. Unfortunately, there wasn't evidence to support external use. Looking at the remains of what was there, the building itself could have been the fuel load. We've learnt that there's gentleman, 56-yeaar-old Nicholas Reyes, basically lived alone and he wasn't a troublesome person to the neighborhood which leaves many questions as to who would want to do harm to this individual and of course why. We know that this structure in question had no form of electricity and we did a thorough investigation and we could've safely ruled out a candle and of course the mere impossibility of a fish coil."
"It's an unfortunate situation last night, the way Mr Reyes was found leads the fire department personnel to believe that he was probably asleep and he simply became overcome with the smoke and he prematurely died in his sleep before the fire consumed his body."
Now, the neighborhood is left to mourn their trustworthy "runman" and friend.
Stephanie Flowers, Neighbor
"It was so terrible, I never felt so broken hearted because we know Chico from we were small. From we were small, all of us grew up here, I live here at this residence here for 45 years and from we lived around here, Chico has been right over there. Chico is everybody's runman, you can holler for Chico and Chico will go buy for you, run any little errand. The thing that got me upset, I read on BBN I think it was, that they said he's mentally challenged, he is not mentally challenged, I want everybody know that. He is just different from me and you, nothing is wrong with Chico. So that's what I wanted to get it out clear that he is no mental patient. He will be missed in this neighborhood so may he rest in peace."
The National Fire Service would like to remind Belizeans that their direct line is 990.
