Investigation into Free Zone Fire Ongoing

Meanwhile, fire officials continue to investigate the cause of a fire up north, inside the Commercial Free Zone in Corozal. Around three p.m. on Tuesday, a seventy-five by seventy-five foot structure used as a warehouse and is the property of Orange Walk businessman Amit Moriani, went up in flames.  While the building is said to be insured, police and fire officials have been unable to determine the contents of the stockrooms. News Five spoke with Fire Chief Ted Smith today for an update on the fire.

Ted Smith, Fire Chief, National Fire Service

“The department, Corozal branch, received and responded to a structural fire at fifteen hundred hours in the Commercial Free Zone. One arrival a three storey metal and concrete structure was on fire. They got into operation and eventually contained and extinguished that fire. The entire structure was destroyed; it was used as a warehouse; it eventually collapsed and was destroyed by the fire.”

Duane Moody

“The cause of that fire; do you know so far?”

Ted Smith

Ted Smith

“The cause of that fire is still ongoing; the investigation is still ongoing.”

Reporter

“Sir, do you all have an idea of the value of the items lost in the destruction?”

Ted Smith

“Not at this time. And we have to bear in mind that we are not evaluators; that is not our expertise. The estimated losses are usually provided by the person who suffered the loss and sometimes it take a little while for them to provide such information.”

The blaze was battled by local firemen with assistance from Mexican firefighters.