Fire destroys downtown San Ignacio buildings

A fire in San Ignacio Town has destroyed a number of buildings in the downtown business area. Around one forty-five on Monday morning the alarm rang though the Burns Avenue neighbourhood that a warehouse belonging to the Bismilla Furniture Store was on fire. By the time, San Ignacio fire fighters scrambled to the scene the two storey wooden building on Wyatt Street was totally engulfed in flames and there was nothing that could be done to save it. The fire quickly spread to a nearby building owned by businessman Kalim Habet. It took fire fighters from San Ignacio, Benque Viejo del Carmen and Belize City, well over three hours to bring the blaze under control and by the time the fire had been extinguished two grocery stores, the furniture store, a residence and an attorney’s office were either destroyed or received extensive water, heat and smoke damage. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and neither has the monetary extent of damages, which will undoubtedly run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Police and Fire Department personnel continue to investigate the Easter Monday morning blaze.