Around 7:30 last night, police and fire personnel rushed out to Bacab Eco Park where they found a blaze that had already consumed two buildings. When the smoke cleared, what once was the establishment's restaurant had turned into smoldering ash and burnt remains.
But what caused the fire? Well, the police say it's arson. Courtney Menzies has this story.
Bacab Eco Park has been a place of family fun and relaxation for almost 2 decades. But last night, the restaurant portion and another smaller shed went up in flames.
It has devastated the owner, Govanni Smith, who said that because the roofs of both structures were thatch, meaning that they couldn't be insured.
And this morning, the police said that they believe someone maliciously set the fire, and reports say the motive was jealousy.
ACP Hilberto Romero, OC, Eastern Division
"Initial investigation revealed that a motorcycle was seen entering the area with two male people and thereafter the buildings were seen engulfed in flames. Thereafter the two male persons fled from the area on the motorcycle. We are conducting investigations into the fire. The two buildings are valid, one, at three hundred thousand and the other at four hundred thousand dollars. One person is in custody at this time for questioning."
Jules Vasquez
"There are reports that this may have been motivated by a domestic dispute that in fact one person's feeling of jealousy may have triggered this. Do you all have any information on that?"
ACP Hilberto Romero, OC, Eastern Division
"There are several leads we are following up on and whatever information we get we will follow it up but that is all the information we have."
And while he waits for the outcome of the investigation, Smith must now figure out whether to push forward or give up on the establishment he has been running for the past 17 years.
Sources confirm that a domestic dispute between the suspected arsonist and an employee may have triggered the arson.
We'll let you know if and when charges are brought.
