And from the threat of a natural disaster, to the reality of an extended family's personal disaster.
It was around 2:00 this morning when a family of eleven realized their homes - all situated in one yard - were on fire. They escaped with nothing but the clothes on their backs as the fire swallowed all three structures. Now this family is asking for help to get back on their feet, and to help their kids get back to school. Courtney Menzies visited the home on Mahogany Street Extension today and has this story.
Five adults and six kids are tonight without a home, clothes, furniture or any of the possessions they had yesterday. That's because a fire tore through three houses early this morning.
One of the victims told us that the fire spread so fast, it destroyed everything they owned in minutes.
Kamera Belisle, Fire Victim
"About like 1:50am this morning we feel a heat in the house, by the time we get up, the house was already on fire, so the only thing we could have done was grab the kids and go outside. We couldn't save anything, we're not sure what's the cause of the fire, but all we know, we aren't left with anything, all 11 of us are homeless, clothes-less, food-less, everything. everybody, my sister purse got burnt up, all ID's everything, all the school supplies, the kids' school bags, books, uniform. The fire started at my house, that's the house in the back, and then after that it caught this house in the front, which is my mom's house, and then after that my sister house. My house burnt down completely, 100% burnt down, I couldn't even get a suit of clothes out there. I wasn't even thinking about that, I'm just glad that nobody got hurt and all of us are safe. It spread so fast because it's board houses and the other two houses have several years already so you know it will catch fast, but my house, I had just put on a brand new extension on the back of my house that burnt too so that really hurt me."
And while they now need to rebuild from scratch, Belisle is asking for the public's assistance to help them get started - beginning with clothes, schools' supplies, and medical help for Belisle's elderly mother.
Kamera Belisle, Fire Victim
"We need clothes most of all and I need to try to get back those kids to school, they lose their school bags, uniforms. My daughter goes to Gwen Liz and my baby goes to St Luke's school."
Courtney Menzies
"I noticed there's also somebody in a wheelchair, is that person living here as well?"
Kamera Belisle, Fire Victim
"That's my mom. She lost all her clothes, all her medication, everything she lost, because she has diabetes, that's the reason she's in the wheelchair. She's unable to walk properly."
The eldest child is a 14-year-old girl, and the youngest is a newborn boy, who is also in need of bottles, diapers, and other baby supplies.
This family can be reached at phone numbers 629-6511 or 631-6605. Or if you want to make a donation, you can do so to Belisle's Belize Bank Account, which will be posted on our Facebook page.
