Fire leaves seven homeless
Unfortunately, it’s a story we’ve had to tell too many times before. A fire in the predawn hours has left seven Belize City residents homeless and without most of their belongings. Despite the usual allegations that the fire department took too long getting to the scene, in the light of day it was plain to see that things could have quickly gotten out of control. And as News Five’s Jacqueline Woods found out, this morning the fire scene was still a hot bed of activity.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Flames and smoke were still emanating from the burnt buildings that were totally destroyed by fire in an early morning blaze. The fire started from the upstairs flat of home on Quallo Alley. Inside the house at the time were Gilda Myvette and her four children. Myvette’s daughter, Shenelle Coleman, says she was sleeping, but woke up when she her mother screaming.
Shenelle Coleman, Fire Victim
“Well actually my mom came and she woke me up and started screaming fire, fire, fire. So I came out and all of a sudden I saw the fire coming from inside the kitchen in a corner.”
The Myvette family was only able to save a few pieces of clothing as the fire quickly engulfed their home.
Shenelle Coleman
“The only thing I got hold of was a bag with some of my clothes and my mom got another bag with my little sister’s clothes that’s all.”
“Yes it spread very quickly because it started from the back and all of a sudden it went up very fast. My mom didn’t get a chance to get anything else because by the time she wanted to go up, everything just burnt down.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Somebody was living downstairs as well?
Shenelle Coleman
“Yes.”
Jacqueline Woods
How did they manage to get out?”
Shenelle Coleman
“They got out a few things. I think they got out their chair, TV and clothes, that’s all.”
The fire completely destroyed the Myvette family’s two storey wooden house and then spread to the neighboring home belonging to one Alvin Butler. Butler was able to save a few of his household items but lost most of his personal effects. Coleman believes the cries of her baby sister that first alerted her mother, ended up saving everyone’s life.
Shenelle Coleman
“Oh my baby sister was crying and she hurriedly got up and that was the moment when she saw the fire.”
Assistant Fire Chief Norris Fischer says they have yet to determine what time the fire started. Fischer said they received the call at 2:14 this morning and arrived shortly thereafter. The department says when they arrived on the scene it was obvious the buildings had been burning for some time before the fire service was notified. Fischer said they focused on containing the fire as it was much too close for comfort to nearby houses.
Norris Fischer, Assistant Fire Chief
“Apparently it was burning a few minutes because both houses were fully engulfed and the flames were threatening the nearby house, so they got into operation immediately.”
Jacqueline Woods
“What did you all do the save the neighboring buildings.”
Norris Fischer
“The cement outside house, they approached it from inside and they kept the outside wet and that house was intact, nothing was wrong with the inside. They received fire damage to the eaves, to the part adjacent to the fire.”
The National Fire Service is still investigating the cause of the fire.
Norris Fischer
“The lady that was living in house at number eleven, that is Ms. Gilda Myvette, she said that she was awoken and went to the kitchen to get feed for her child and observed flames in the corner of her kitchen and made it clear that it was not the stove, but in the corner. I asked her what was in that corner, and she couldn’t tell me what was in there that could cause a fire. So she couldn’t tell me what was there to cause a fire, she doesn’t know apparently.”
Jacqueline Woods
“So the matter is still under investigation?”
Norris Fischer
“Yes the matter is still under investigation. We have to take some statements to find out if anybody knows more or less what was in that corner.”
A total of seven persons have been left homeless. News Five understands that neighbours and the Social Services Department has been assisting the families with basic necessities.
Reporting for News Five, I am Jacqueline Woods.
The fire victims are currently staying with neighbors until alternate arrangements can be made. If you would like to assist the families, please contact the Social Services Department.
