This weekend was a busy time for the government and the security forces who hosted the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge who are on an official visit. Then, cops from Cayo had to respond to 2 separate murders. We report now on two emergency calls that firefighters of the National Fire Service had to respond to.
On Saturday night, the authorities had to respond to a fire at the apartment complex which is located at the corner of Caesar Ridge and Fabers Road. When they arrived, they found the 6 families comprising of over 20 people in major distress. The middle of the building was engulfed in flames, and residents in the area were already trying to douse the fire as best as they could.
Today, we spoke with the Kenneth Mortis of the National Fire Service, who told the press that according to their investigation, a 14-year-old special needs child started the fire:
Kenneth Mortis - Station Supervisor, NFS
"In the Immediate area of origin where the fire started, a total of 5 family members were displaced from that unit. Going on to the right, we had a total of 5, which included a single mother and her 4 children. On the left of the complex, the total figure wasn't brought to my office as yet. I can tell you probably, 2, 3, 4 - maybe more, maybe less, Right now, we are looking at an approximate figure of maybe 11 to 12 people being displaced by this. What we have gathered is that the family for a 14-year-old minor, apparently, in his inquisitive nature, he got mischievous and lit a portion of the building on fire. The family and other neighbors only became aware of the fire when they saw smoke coming from the building."
Daniel Ortiz
"Some 11 or 12 people are homeless because of one mischievous act."
Kenneth Mortis - Station Supervisor, NFS
"Unfortunately, yeah, boils down to parents not giving accountability for their children. That is something that we try to preach from the Fire Department. Regardless of the age, regardless of the nature of the child, keep your children in your eyesight, and encourage them to hand over these flammable substances, whether it be a match or a lighter, a candle, a piece of fish. I don't think that I can take all the credit for the firefighting on the ground. I must give credit to those heroic, non-firefighters that placed themselves in the frontline in assisting the department in containing this blaze. I must make it known that this was a coordinated effort from the fellows of the neighborhood, and the fire department."
Apart from the fire damage, the families suffered major water damage to their belongings and their apartment room.
