Fire Destroys House in Maskall Village, Leaving 7 Homeless

The New Year didn’t start right for a family from rural Belize District. A raging fire on Sunday morning destroyed the home of seven members on the Old Northern Highway. It happened in Maskall Village while the Tuyul family was in the lower flat of the house, preparing for breakfast.  They heard noises on the second floor and discovered that the house was on fire; everything was destroyed. News Five’s Hipolito Novelo reports.

Hipolito Novelo, Reporting

A mid-morning blaze on Sunday in the Village of Maskall displaced a family of seven. The fire broke out at around ten-thirty when the Tuyul family was inside the lower flat of their two-story home.

Voice of: Sardia Tuyul, Fire Victim

“Everyone was preparing downstairs to have breakfast and my mom heard things falling upstairs. She did not know what it was. She then heard popping noises and she sent my bigger sister upstairs to check what is happening up there. When she reached the back step and opened the back door to go in, all she saw was smoke. She ran down back. When my mother came out and look, she saw flames out at front.”

The National Fire Service was quickly alerted but since the nearest assistance would be coming from the Ladyville Fire Substation, neighbors collected themselves to help extinguish the inferno. But the blaze was too powerful, destroying everything that the house contained.

Voice of: Sardia Tuyul

“We don’t have good water pressure like that to spray. A couple of neighbors were trying to help with the well and the neighbors were trying to spray a little was water to try to control it but it was far too gone. Even the downstairs, everything was burned.”

Hipolito Novelo

“So the family lost everything?”

Voice of: Sardia Tuyul

“Everything. Everything; dead serious everything.”

While the cause of the fire has not been officially ascertained, the family does not believe that it was arson.

Orin Smith

Orin Smith, Station Officer, National Fire Service

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire originated in the upper wooden section o the structure. The cause of the fire still has not yet been determined.”

Hipolito Novelo

“But the family doesn’t believe that it was arson?”

Voice of: Sardia Tuyul

“No, no. I mean we don’t have any enemies that would do we that in the village, so no we do not believe that it is that.”

The family’s coconut oil making business was saved, as the machine, housed in a little shack detached from the main building, was untouched by the fire. They, however, still need all the help that can be offered.

Voice of: Sardia Tuyul

“I just know that it is something that I don’t want anyone to experience and to lose everything, that is hard. Especially with a young child, that is hard.”

Hipolito Novelo

“How can they assist you and your family?”

Voice of: Sardia Tuyul

“Anything that they want to give. Whether it is clothing, food, money material; anything will be greatly appreciated.”

If you would like to assist you can contact six-three-two-six-four-zero-zero or six-zero-zero-three-five-four-nine. Hipolito Novelo, News Five.