Fire Destroys Popular DVD Store in Ladyville

A fire over the weekend destroyed a popular DVD store in Ladyville. The fire reportedly broke out in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Albert Flowers of A and J DVD Store says when he arrived on the scene, his business had completely burnt to the ground. Hipolito Novelo has the story.

Hipolito Novelo, Reporting

Fire-fighters, early on Sunday morning, battled an inferno that had engulfed A and J DVD Store in Ladyville. According to the owner, Alberto Flowers, he was at home in Belize City when he was called and informed that his business was on fire.

Voice of: Albert Flowers, Fire Victim

“When I got up here actually the store was already burnt to the ground. Fire and the police were already out here. They interviewed me and I told them. They say that the fire started from the top. The first person who was here was the security from Kubuli. He looked at me and said that when he saw the smoke it was coming from the top.”

Flowers does not suspect that it was arson.

Voice of: Albert Flowers

“I actually believe it is accidental. I believe that it is an electric problem. I really do not think it is arson so I left it like that. All I need to do is build back my thing and get back on my feet. That is all.”

The fire completely destroyed the small, wooden structure and its contents. According to Flowers, he lost tens of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise and equipment.

Voice of: Albert Flowers

“I lost a lot to be honest because I got in an amount of tennis. I probably had over a hundred pairs of tennis in there. I moved some stuff from the other shop that I have from Belize so I lose like a good forty to fifty thousand dollars worth of stuff in that little shop right there. We are renovating the A and J from Belize City and we bring up the stuff up here in Ladyville never knowing that this would happen. It is my bad luck so I have to go from there.  We had a camera system. I had all my burners. I had printers. I had tennis. I had DVDs, clothes. Mien I had a lot of things in that little shop. Anybody that goes into my shot could know that they will have to twist and turn to come to me because it was so packed. Once you walked n there you have to come out from something because it is a lot in there.”

And everything that was in there was not insured. Neither was the structure. Hipolito Novelo, News Five.