Toxic fumes from gas station sicken residents

In other news, the air we breathe is something many take for granted. But when that air is saturated with toxic fumes, it becomes a serious cause for concern because it goes straight into the lungs and can cause serious damage to the respiratory system. That situation is exactly what we found when we visited a Belize City resident at his home near a gas station earlier this week. On Wood Street, the family of Ignatius Garcia and their neighbour Etelbina Wiltshire have been trying to cope with gas fumes on a daily basis for several years but the circumstances have become intolerable and the fumes are now affecting their health. Marion Ali reports.

Ignatius Garcia, Alleges Pollution is Affecting Family
“The doctor deh seh boss yoh live between the devil and the deep blue sea. Yoh live weh diesel smoke deh and yoh live weh wah gas station deh.”

Marion Ali, Reporting
“It’s not the first time that Ignatius Garcia has complained about the fumes emanating from the Esso Gas Station near his house on Wood Street. Garcia says he has lived at that location for all his fifty-one years and he links his worsening health on the gas station’s refusal to adhere to a regulation which prohibits the refuelling of vehicles while its engines are still running.”

Ignatius Garcia
“The emission from the gas station, we can’t handle the smell when the truck come unload and when they’re serving the vehicles are running.”

The problem is compounded by Garcia’s terminal illness. He has been diagnosed with lung cancer, which is believed to have been caused by years of cigarette smoking and his past profession. But he says the pollution in the area is not helping and is also affecting his children’s health.

Ignatius Garcia
“I had a little daughter, Mazie Garcia, died at seven years old. She never born with asthma. Breathing fi mi daughter dah problems right now. She never had asthma and ih di have symptoms ah asthma. We carry her dah di hospital before and ih symptoms di increase. Di lee one di start to have wah dizziness.”

But while Garcia and his children experience respiratory ailments and his complaints seem to have gone unanswered, he is not the only voice in the wilderness. His next-door neighbour, Etelbina Wiltshire is also having her own share of health problems.

Etelbina Wiltshire, Affected by Gas Station Fumes
“Deh full with the engine on and the fumes that the bus let go come this side and ih affect us; ih affect the breathing. That happen straight. They full up the gas with the engine one, even they park with the engine on when dehn come pick up passengers. Well, yoh have those and on account ah di breeze—ih go wid di breeze. Whenever di breeze di blow dis side here, you smell di—yoh mi smell it just now ago.”

Marion Ali
“Yes, I did.”

Etelbina Wiltshire
“Since I was talking to you, I smell it. Well, ih affect me dat if I catch a cold, I have shortness with it now.”

Ignatius Garcia has been to several departments to ask that some attention be given to his concern. But the measures they have taken have not been very helpful.

Ignatius Garcia
“The only thing I see deh do they put up wah sign weh neva mi deh up deh “No Smoking, Stop Engine”. Nobody respect dat cause di guys dat work deh does not tell dehn to stop di engine. I’ve been to Health, Mr. Bernard, he send letter to di mayor. I been to di mayor, she come and put up sign yah, one deh, one deh; “no bus” and deh still come down yah. Soh yoh di waste time wid di sign.”

And this is why the Belize City Council and the Public Health Department are now joining forces to enforce the regulation on the gas station.

Wayne Usher, City Councillor
“They shouldn’t even be licensed if they don’t adhere to these principles and regulations. But that is where we have to keep monitoring them and people from the public, if they insist on not turning off their engines, it endangers everybody’s lives. So we have to sort of monitor that and ask them to train their own attendants to make sure and insist that they turn off the engines.”

Marion Ali
“So this is just a matter of one using or nor using his discretion? It’s not a matter of you need to adhere to the regulation.”

Wayne Usher
“It is a safety regulation. The sign is right there.”

Mark Bernard, Sr. Public Health Officer, Ministry of Health
“They have regulations that govern that vehicles must shut off when they go into the stations. So that is the approach that we are trying to take.”

Marion Ali
“But obviously, that is not working because we got shots of many vehicles filling up with their engines on and the fumes that it creates for the entire neighbourhood is overwhelming and we were there just for a short while.”

Mark Bernard
“Yes, it is and not only for him. There’s a preschool, I believe, not too far from there also. So depending on how the prevailing winds are blowing at the time. So I’m saying from a public health stand point, we think the solution to this is to work with other agencies such as the Belize City Council, the Department of the Environment to trey to address this problem.”

The fumes constantly being emitted from the gas station has caused Etelbina Wiltshire to consider drastic changes.

Etelbina Wiltshire
“I am not from here; I am from Cayo so eventually I might go to Cayo and get some fresh air over that side.”

But while Ms. Wiltshire has that option, Garcia and his daughters use oxygen tanks to help them breathe and hope that someday soon, the authorities will be able to finally control the problem.

Ignatius Garcia
“I can’t move. Weh ah gwein live? If I mi come meet dah gas station yah den I move, dehn come meet me. Dehn tek ten, fifteen, twenty minutes fi full up. You know all di smoke weh we di inhale eena dehn time deh? So shut off di engine, full up di vehicle and mek dehn roll.”

Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.