Fire destroys Caye Caulker hotel

Police and fire officials are still trying to find out what caused the Star Guest House in the area of “The Split” on Caye Caulker to burn down. According to the hotel’s owner, Ramon Reyes Jr., the two-storey wooden building, which was destroyed by fire shortly after midnight on Monday, was vacant, as it was under repair as a result of Hurricane Keith. Reyes says he doesn’t know what caused the fire, but was told by neighbours that they saw thick smoke gushing out of the upstairs windows. Reyes is guessing that it could have been caused by vagrants, either by accident or intentionally. On several occasions he has had to call police to evict the unwanted guests. The house was insured for a total of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.