Hopkins Resident Killed in Weekend Fire

There is tragic news coming out of Hopkins Village as a weekend fire claimed the life of businessman Jing Tan. Residents of an apartment building told police they attempted to alert Tan to the blaze but couldn’t get his attention in time.  ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communication Director at the Belize Police Department, says the cause of the fire is still unknown.

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Director, Belize Police Department

“Initial investigation so far has revealed that sometime around one forty-five a.m., one of the occupants of that building, Kimannie Williams, tried to get the attention of the owner of the building Mr. Jing Tan, forty nine years business man and was unsuccessful. Mr. Williams is saying he was awoken by the smell of smoke in his apartment. Immediately he called for fire and police personnel. He is saying that when fire was extinguished and they made checks at Mr. Tan’s section of the building he occupied, they found his body motionless. He has since been transported to the Southern Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead, and is now waiting a postmortem examination.”

Reporter

“So this man lived alone?”

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood

“From our understanding, they had other occupants. It is like an apartment.”

Reporter

“But he lived alone in his apartment.”

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood

“He lived alone in his apartment.”

Reporter

“Any indication as to what may have started the fire?”

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood

“Not as yet, but we know that the fire may have started inside his apartment.”