Brad Steadman, victim of fire

A Belize City resident believes his property was deliberately set on fire.  Brad Steadman, a struggling artist, was not at the house, which also serves as his studio, when it went up in a blaze. By the time he got to Curl Thompson Street this morning, all his belongings had been destroyed. Steadman says he had no electricity and there was nothing in the house that could spark the fire. Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

A house located at Curl Thompson Street in the vicinity of Jane Usher Boulevard belonged to Brad Steadman.  But just after eleven this morning, the forty thousand dollar wooden structure and its household items went up in flames. Firefighters responded shortly after to put out the blaze; but everything was lost.

Brad Steadman, Fire Victim

“All my clothes, my TV, my refridge, my paint, my paint brushes, my compressor, all my painting equipments, a couple signs for people who I was trying to make some signs for. Total loss is about forty thousand dollars mien. I had a lot of painting equipment stuff that cost. That’s my trade; I dint go to high school and that’s my god given talent.”

Sharon Peters, who lives in close proximity to the gutted house, spoke to News Five off camera. She says that she was alerted about the fire by a neighbor and when she exited her home, she saw a part of the verandah on fire. She immediately doused it with water and got herself and her son to safety while simultaneously calling 911 for help.

Voice of: Sharon Peters, Neighbor

“One of my neighbor halla fi me and I open the door and peep outside and I see the house di smoke and they come right away.”

Duane Moody

“I understand you had a fair because your, as I can see here, the railing of your verandah itself caught fire as well. What was going through your head seeing the flames coming at you?”

Voice of: Sharon Peters

“Yes I thought that my house was gonna get burned down too because I see the flame and then mi verandah start ketch fire. So I throw water myself and di bawl at the firemen dehn and me myself di bawl because I noh wah loose mi house right now; noh eena then yah hard time.”

But Steadman believes that his house was deliberately set on fire because he says the house had no electricity.

Brad Steadman

“The light wasn’t in the house at the time. I had a bill to pay and the light man came and cut the light. When they told me the house was on fire, I immediately came over and the back of the house was on fire, not the front part of the house. And to the back of the house didn’t have nothing flammable or electrical to start the house on fire—it was pure canvass and artwork was in the back of the house.”

Brad Steadman

To get back what he has lost, Steadman is asking for assistance since nothing was insured.

Brad Steadman

“Of course I need some help. I was just trying to make a step and especially people weh live around me don’t like how I step up. If anybody want give me a hand, they can call me at 662-7666 and any little thing I’ll take. A lot of people know me out there; I do a lot of signs around and this is a great loss for me because I have all my investments in this house.”

Firefighters are currently investigating the cause of the fire. Duane Moody for News Five.