Did quarrel cause the arson of a Belize City house?
Flames consumed two houses over the weekend; one in the City and the other in Lord’s Bank. The blazes are both believed to have been deliberately set but fortunately no one was injured. A total of eight persons lost all their belongings. We start in Belize City, where Sunday night’s fire followed a quarrel between a couple over a card game. News Five’s Delahnie Bain reports.
Delahnie Bain, Reporting
There’s a saying that goes “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” and according to fire victim, Deshawn Rowland, he learned that the hard way on Sunday night. According to Rowland, a dispute with his girlfriend over a card game escalated to a break up… and she wasn’t happy.
Deshawn Rowland
Deshawn Rowland, Fire Victim
“We mi play lee card and thing een di yard and I play slow she ih start to cuss me up. So I tell ah yoh have to have respect. So like I just walk and come een side ah di house and I seh I gwein bathe now cause I tell dehn I stop den. I come eena di house, ih follow me eena di house and pick up wah pint. I tek weh di point, I walk gone eena di room and slam di room door behind me, ih look like di door ketch ih hand. Ih call police, call ih ma. Well, I just gone pan my bike and gone cool off up so.”
But Rowland claims that while he cooled off, his girlfriend borrowed a lighter from the neighbors and turned up the heat at his house.
Deshawn Rowland
“Wah lee five minutes, di gial pass down soh and seh my house di burn down; she just burn down my house.”
Delahnie Bain
“So since you weren’t here you didn’t manage to get anything out.”
Deshawn Rowland
“Nothing out, one suit ah clothes weh I got on dat dah weh I end up stay with. When I come dis whole inside ah dis house done burn up, can’t do nothing. When she come out—she light di house inside and lock di door and gone. So dah when di fire burst out dah den people know di house di burn.”
Michael Middleton, Operations Officer, National Fire Service
Michael Middleton
“Some time after eight last night we got a call from police about a fire on Vernon Street. On arrival at that fire, flames were issuant throughout the entire structure. We got into operation and extinguished this fire. As a result of this fire, we launched an investigation and so far the investigation is leading into somebody actually intentionally lit this fire. But we have the Police Department working along with us to determine exactly if that is so. Our fire investigators are still out there asking questions; we have some information but we do not have a direct answer exactly as yet as to if the fire was actually a case of arson.”
Rowland says he can rebuild his house if he gets some help with the materials.
Delahnie Bain
“So what are you going to do now? You have another place to stay?”
Deshawn Rowland
“Well, I wah just chill out and stay by old bwai fi what lee while. All I want when I go si di minister—we dah builder, we could build fi we house. I just want wah lee material and thing. Dad dat I di ask fah. Tomorrow I gwein si ah fi wah lee material cause we dah work man too.”
Delahnie Bain for News Five.
Mr. Rowland, I hope this is the end of that relationship. This nut belongs in jail & if she owns a house, it should be sold & the proceeds used to rebuild yours. I won’t even ask if alcohol was involved because it is not an excuse for ignorant criminal behavior.
Boy and I thought I heard it all! Like everything else, there’s always 2 sides to a story. However, this story is amusing and yet very serious! Imagine a woman committing such a senseless act because of a card game? I mean usually its because of another female in an affair situation! But for a card game? That’s just unheard of in my opinion.
Anyway I think this case needs to be investigated and charged if guilty! I wouldnt want to know what this woman is capable of doing to this man while he sleeps! Im sure u guys are familiar with who Loraina Bobbet is right? Auuuchhhh be careful brother!
yow my new house wld be in hattiville ramada. jus sayin
This girl is nuts, and am her sister she needs to be put in jail as someone said. such an act is on called for, but as the saying says there is always two sides to a story. I think that u all should hear her side of the story and try to put it all together, cause so far we have only heard his side, and am not taking sides am just saying the public needs to hear both side of the story. I know she is stupid but i did not think she was crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This insane girl needs to be taken to rockview or be kept locked up god forbid they let am off easy and ih goh bun down wah entire neighbourhood next time!
She needs anger management.