A fire devastated a neighborhood adjoining downtown Belize City this afternoon. It happened right in the 7NEWS neighborhood and we can tell you that the toll of the damage is still being tallied, but what we do know is that 5 families are displaced, 4 houses were completely destroyed, a fifth house was partially burnt, and three more homes received either heat or water damage. It was a massive fire and it started around 3:30. Our team was first on the scene and here's what they found.
Keith Swift Reporting,
A thick cloud of black smoke covered downtown Belize City this afternoon as a large fire consumed an area of Prince Street. There was simply mass confusion and chaos and our team was first on the scene - even before engines arrived.
And before they arrived - there was a mad dash as residents were fighting the fire. It was a real bucket brigade. Those who weren't fighting, ran with as
many possessions as they could save: from clothes to gas tanks and furniture.
And when the fire engines did arrive, it would take time and the help of many people to get the hose pumping. And by the time they were pumping, three houses
were already devoured and the tongues of the flames were licking at the fourth.
Police kept the crowds, literally hundreds of onlookers, at bay but they couldn't do anything about the emotions of those affected who were in this open lot on Prince Street with their remaining
possessions. Most hugged their loved ones but the toll of the fire was told on their faces and in their words.
Everald Neal lived at 44 Prince Street and was at work when he got the news that his home was on fire.
Everald Neal, Fire Victim
"I was at Customs working by my bicycle cart. I got a call from somebody upstairs at Customs stating that my house was being burnt down on Prince Street and they were taking out things out of my house and for me to hurry go home. I came around here and when I came I heard the fire started from the next house in the back, number 50. The people were on the verandah at the front and they were cooking something and the house caught fire at the back due to how the wind was blowing. When I came they told me that all my things could have been saved if they had just out the fire from there. But they didn't out the fire from my house and my whole house burnt down. I wasn't insured."
Keith Swift,
Were you able to save anything?
Everald Neal,
"Nothing, absolutely. Nobody saved
anything. The fire started so quickly and the houses are so close that we didn't end up saving anything and it is nonsense."
Keith Swift,
How will you move on?
Everald Neal,
"I don't know man. Everything I just leave to God."
Keith Swift,
You live with your wife and kids?
Everald Neal,
"Everybody. I have four kids in the house. I live with my common law wife and it is rough right now Swift. Everything I have is lost my brethren; my whole house - everything. Not even my bed or nothing. I don't have anything right now."
His daughter Shanien could barely contain her emotions.
Shanien Neal, Fire Victim
"My brother came to call me at work and told me that our house was being burnt down. And my friends from the area were telling me it was already burnt. When I got here, nothing was saved. We didn't even get any clothes or nothing. The clothes which we have on right now, that is what we have to manage in until something happens. We didn't get anything else."
Ariel Scott lived at 50 Prince Street where the fire started. She saved nothing.
Ariel Scott, Fire Victim
"I was sewing and watching my two little babies which were there and
I was sewing."
Keith Swift,
Were you able to save anything?
Ariel Scott,
"No, no nothing."
Keith Swift,
Who and you live at your house?
Ariel Scott,
"Me and my two sons, my daughter, my son in law, and my grandson."
Keith Swift,
What are you going to do?
Ariel Scott,
"I don't know. I lost everything. I had just started to build my house at 46 Prince Street back today and I don't know what else to say."
Keith Swift,
It's a sad day.
Ariel Scott,
"Yeah it is a sad day because this is all I own right now. Anyway I thank God for my life and for my grandson's life. That is the most important part - that I have my life."
Feliciano Barkley also saved nothing. He lived with his common-law wife and three young kids. All he was able to save was some clothes.
Feliciano Barkley, Fire Victim
"I ran from work and came home just now and came home and met this disaster. I didn't expect this. I lived right at 48
Prince Street at the back, this house which dropped flat to the ground. Nothing is left there. So right now we don't know what will happen between now and tonight because my girl doesn't want to go stay at her mom and I don't know what I will do. I live with my common-law wife. I have three kids."
Keith Swift,
What are you going to do?
Feliciano Barkley,
"Well for right now we just have to hope for the best. We don't know what we will do exactly."
Keith Swift,
How do you pick up the pieces? How do you move on from something like this?
Feliciano Barkley,
"Honestly I always saw this thing on TV and thing when it happened, I watched news and saw this thing but I never did expect it would be my nightmare for today. So I don't even know where to pick up or where to start off. All I know is that I came home and I met the disaster and tried to save what I could save for kids because I only have my kids. I don't have anything else."
Gilroy "Press" Cadogan was also affected.
Gilroy 'Press' Cadogan, Fire Victim
"We lost about 25% of our goods. We saved the majority of our things because what happened is that our house was the last one to catch fire but to be truthful our house didn't really catch fire, only the upstairs caught fire."
Keith Swift,
How did you find out about the fire?
Gilroy 'Press' Cadogan,
"I was riding around selling rum popo. I was way by Pound Yard Bridge and I saw the smoke in the air and I said it looked like the canal side. And when I saw the smoke I asked somebody where the fire is and they said it looked like by Belgrave and I said that is right in front of me and I started to hurry come. When I was riding hurry, I saw a crowd and I saw my wife crying and that is where we started to do some work. But the fireman they took long. They really really took long. They surprised me. They took at least 35 minutes. All the while I hear people talking about fire and I didn't experience it yet but since I am experiencing this with the longness that they took, this is out of hand. I want Mr. Baizar, I would want to hear what he has to tell me."
The most senior fighter on the scene was deputy chief Ted Smith. In the face of compelling evidence to the contrary, Smith says their response was adequate.
Ted Smith, Deputy Fire Chief
"We got the call at 15:35. That is what is logged in our book. I cannot say exactly what time the truck responded and I didn't record the time when we got here. Maybe you can help there Keith, you were here with me on the ground. I was focused on trying to develop my strategy to deploy the truck when it arrived."
Keith Swift,
Wasn't there a substantial delay though?
Ted Smith,
"There was some delay. I would assume somewhere in the area of probably five to ten minutes. We have a five minute delay normally and well you here Keith so you could answer that question much better than I am as a spectator. You saw us fight that fire immediately on arrival. Yes there was some delay from point A to point B. I don't know why but I will investigate and find out what transpired."
Keith Swift,
So you don't know what went wrong? Do you at least agree that something went wrong?
Ted Smith,
"Keith I think I just told you that."
Again 5 families were left homeless and Albert Area Representative Mark Espat says he is assisting. During the ensuing chaos, there are reports that a fire engine ran over the feet of an onlooker. There was blood on the scene for proof of it and Deputy Fire Chief Ted Smith says they will investigate. In addition, Smith also says denied reports that the response time was delayed because fire fighters were participating in a fire Olympiad as part of fire awareness week. We'll have more on the aftermath of the fire tomorrow as our neighbors try to pick up the pieces.
