Unattended candle starts fire on Rasta Street

While most residents of Belize City enjoy the luxury of electricity, a number of people living in the old capital depend on candles, kerosene lamps, and similar devices to illuminate their homes. But over the weekend, one man paid the price for his careless use of a candle.

Michael Middleton, Operations Manager, National Fire Service
“People could actually lose their lives caused by these types of fires. We recommend that before you even try to go to sleep make sure that if you have to use candles or other means just make sure that they are properly out.”

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
That piece of advice that could have probably saved the home of forty one year old Oliver Hemsley but it came too little too late. Hemsely lost his house and possessions after a fire completely engulfed the delivery man’s three bedroom residence at seventy-three Rasta Street.

Michael Middleton
“He left a candle lit and he fell asleep and he awoke with fire around him and had to get himself out of the house.”

While fire fighters could not anything to save the Hemsley’s belongings, they worked hard to protect his neighbour’s house.

Michael Middleton
“There was nothing we could have done about that house but the other house next to it that is where we base our concentration on. We protected that house from getting any further damage.”

The second house, owned by Valerie Arnold received only minor damage to the outside walls.

The loss of Hemsley’s home and household items is estimated at twenty-five thousand dollars. It was not insured.

Meanwhile, a San Pedro businessman is holding onto his insurance policy papers tonight after his woodwork shop went up in flames around five on Saturday evening. Fire officials are still investigating to determine what started the blaze, but according to the building’s owner, thirty-one year old Eddie Ancona, it was insured for seven hundred thousand dollars.