This morning a home located on the far end of Arlington Drive in the Port Loyola area of Belize City caught fire with the occupants inside. We were on the scene shortly after the blaze and spoke to the homeowners who say they've lost everything.
Alfonso NobleReporting,
Brenda Usher and Curtis Bardalez had just returned home from running an errand around 11:30 this morning and were inside the home on Arlington Drive when they were told that their house was on fire.
Curtis Bardalez,
"When we came back home, we put the little boy in the chair, he took off his tennis and thing, and we put on the TV for him while we laid down on the bed, me and my wife, and took off our clothes. She was talking to her son through the back window and I was dropping in a little doze, from exhaustion from the heat, and so I hear like somebody say where the smoke is coming from. My stepson said there is a fire in your house and I jumped off the bed and ran into the hallway and saw the smoke in the bedroom. I move to the door to open it but then I remembered not to open a door once its already involved in flame or whatever. So I didn't open it again and I looked around for the little boy but the whole place was smoky so we ran out. My stepson ran back in and we hollered for him and thing and we found him between the chair and table so we got him out. I am glad for that part."
But there is little else Bardalez could be glad about as he looked at the smoldering remains of what he used to call home. All he could do was ask for strength from god and assistance from anyone who can help them.
Curtis Bardalez,
"Just the help of God noh and maybe with neighbors and our area rep. We would appreciate whatever. Any little thing because its rough and its hard and any little help from any who will help."
Brenda Usher,
"Everything, stove, refrig, clothes, everything gone. Nothing has been saved, everything is gone. I don't know what we will do for tonight, I am confused right now because nothing here is good to stay, it could collapse anytime. We don't know what started the fire because I didn't leave on the iron or nothing so really I don't know what was left on or what happened to cause the fire."
Now as fire officials sift through the charcoal remains, this couple has greater worries than establishing the cause of the fire, they have to start from scratch to take care of 3 children who live with them.
Fire authorities have not yet determined the cause of the blaze.
