Bainsville Home Goes up in Smoke

Twenty-nine-year-old Erica Belisle lost her personal belongings as well as her house in a fire in Hattieville.  It is the second time that she has been affected by fire.  Belisle was staying in the city because of her job and learnt of the fire on Friday morning via a telephone call. She says she suspects arson, but the Fire Department has been sluggish in their investigations.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano spoke to Belisle about the blaze.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A house fire in Bainsville area of Hattieville, has left twenty-nine-year-old Erica Belisle without a roof over her head.  On Friday morning, Belisle was in Belize City when she was notified that her property was burning.

Erica Belisle, Fire Victim

“I woke up about after six and I got a call from neighbor stating that my house was burnt down.  He said that during the night the house was there but when he woke up in the morning, the house was on fire.”

Erica Belisle

Isani Cayetano

“Where were you at the time?”

Erica Belisle

“I had just recently gotten a job so I am staying in Belize sake of the schedule.”

Isani Cayetano

“Now when you got to your home to see what’s left of it, what was your observation?”

Erica Belisle

“It was just devastating.  Everything, everything I lost, every, every, single thing.  Nothing was saved because I wasn’t there.”

The concrete and wooden structure was completely gutted.  According to Belisle, despite her attempt to report the incident to Hattieville police, an investigation is yet to commence in what she believes was an act of arson.

Isani Cayetano

“Do you know if the fire department responded to the fire, if the police officers came to investigate?  Do you know if anybody from either of those two departments came by?”

Erica Belisle

“No sir, I went to the station on Friday morning to put in a report about the fire.  The police said no one called, so I went to give a report but the police said that the CIB was busy.  When I went there at five in the evening at my house, it was still on fire so I asked the officer to please contact the fire department for me so that they could come and inspect but I haven’t gotten a call back.  She asked me for my particulars, I gave her, but still no call as yet.”

The police and fire departments are yet to respond to Belisle’s report.  To make matters worse, her home has been destroyed by fire once before.

Erica Belisle

“This is the second time, two years ago was the first time.”

Isani Cayetano

“And what are you making of this?  Did you have specific utilities where maybe you can say it was an electrical fire or something like that?”

Erica Belisle

“Yes, I had utilities but no current was to the house at the moment and no gas tank was in the house.”

Isani Cayetano

“So you believe that this was intentionally set.”

Erica Belisle

“I believe it was an arson.”

Isani Cayetano

“Describe for us the first instance because you’re saying that this is the second time you’ve lost your home to a fire.  Was the first one also suspected arson?”

Erica Belisle

“Yes sir, it was also suspected arson.”

Isani Cayetano

“Now my question then is, do you know who would want to damage your property in such manner?”

Erica Belisle

“No sir, I don’t.”

Belisle is making a desperate plea for assistance from the police, the fire department, as well as the general public.  She is seeking help from anyone who is willing to help her rebuild her home. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.