Fire destroys warehouse on N. Highway
With virtually the whole of Belize baked bone dry, the sound of fire engines is the last thing anyone wants to hear. But last night around eight all the city’s new equipment could not prevent the destruction of a warehouse on the industrial outskirts of the old capital.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
When Fire fighters arrived on the scene they observed smoke billowing from the roof of a large concrete and steel structure that was used as a warehouse and boat building site. The smoke was the result of a raging fire that started in one section of the building and quickly consumed everything inside.
Henry Baizar, Fire Chief
“They hurriedly got into operation and they went inside the building. The first team that went in the building experienced tremendous heat in the region of about four to five hundred that it melted their helmets. Even though they stayed at the fire and they actually knocked the fire down, unfortunately with the two trucks we ran out of water.”
Because there are no fire hydrants in the area, the fire fighters had to run hoses across the Northern Highway to get water from the sea. But there was a half hour delay because the Fire Department had to wait for police to clear traffic. Two and a half hours later, the team of thirty fire fighters and volunteers finally extinguished the flames. Today, the fire investigators went back to the scene to assess the damage.
Henry Baizar
“The roof of the building, about fifty percent of the roof of the building is damaged and most of the stuff within the building, they’re all gutted, so virtually it’s almost a total lost.”
The building, which was insured in excess of one hundred thousand dollars, was owned by William Quan, who used the facility to store hardware supplies. Another section of the building was rented by businessman Billy Harmouche, who stored plywood, mattresses and electrical supplies. The third section of the building was rented by boat builder Tino Castillo, who lost a seventy-five foot fibreglass boat he was constructing.
Fire Chief Henry Baizar says they are still trying to determine what caused the blaze. As a result of the incident Baizar says they have already made recommendations to have fire hydrants erected along the Northern and Western highways.
Henry Baizar
“In our budget for this financial year we do have some money in there for installation of some hydrants. We already have the hydrants in our store, so very soon hydrants will be installed in that area and in other areas of the town and around our country.”
Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
Baizar says at the time of the fire one of their trucks was responding to another call from Ladyville. Baizar says the department does not usually respond to bush fires, especially those occurring outside of the city, but if a property is threatened they do send out a team. In this case the call was a false one and Baizar believes the erroneous call prevented them from sending another truck to help fight the major blaze on the Northern Highway.
And while fire fighters in the city find their hands full on the Northern Highway, those in rural areas have all but given up in trying to contain the hundreds of brushfires that continue to scorch Belizean earth from Corozal to Toledo. The most immediate damage has been to high voltage electrical lines, plunging the nation into rolling blackouts. Less apparent is the destruction of crops, pastureland, archaeological reserves and buildings adjoining these areas. Some of the fires have been caused by traditional milpa burning gone out of control, but many of the blazes can be traced to carelessness by people smoking or burning backyard garbage. Fire officials urge the public to be extra careful and remember that burning ashes can travel hundred of yards on strong seasonal winds.
