Fire destroys Bowen’s house at shrimp farm

On Monday we brought you the story of a Belize City woman who watched in shock as her home and all her belongings were destroyed in a fire on Victoria street. Neither the building nor its contents, with a total value of over a hundred and fifteen thousand dollars, were covered by insurance. Tonight we report a similar tragedy, only the venue is a shrimp farm near the Placencia Lagoon and the victim is one of Belize’s wealthiest businessmen. Police report that around three o’clock Monday morning the house belonging to Barry Bowen at his shrimp farm at Blair Atholl burned to the ground. The building and its contents, valued at two hundred and seventy thousand dollars, were not insured. Sources close to the investigation tell News Five they believe the fire was set accidentally by one of the shrimp farm’s employees, who while drunk, broke into the unoccupied house in search of more booze. In order to see without turning on the lights the thief lit a succession of matches, one of which managed to set the place ablaze. Police have detained a suspect for questioning. Bowen has had a run of bad luck lately, having nearly lost his life in an automobile accident near the same location in March.