Fire on North Front Street claims three houses
Fire broke out Thursday evening just before seven p.m. on North Front Street in Belize City, and as usual hundreds turned out to witness the spectacle and generally get in the way. But what was a night’s entertainment for some left four families homeless. News Five was at the scene.
The sky was covered with sparks and ashes and the air was filled with thick blinding smoke. The fire, which illuminated the neighborhood of North Front Street, quickly spread and destroyed a total of three homes.
At this time it is not known how the fire started but residents recall hearing an explosion then seeing flames coming from inside the house at number forty-six A North Front Street. Steven Craig, the owner, is presently in the United States. According to his sister Betty, who lived next door and also lost her home, she heard a loud noise then saw the fire.
Betty Craig, Fire Victim
“I heard the explosion.”
Q: “And it was definitely from your brother’s house? And then what, you quickly started packing up your items?”
Betty Craig
“Well I took out my house papers, my grandson and my son. My two daughters, they were not at home.”
Four families were left homeless. On hand to give assistance to the fire victims were personnel from the Human Development Department.
Brenda Stuart, Ag. Director, Human Development Department
“What we have been doing is trying to locate families to make sure that they are safe. If they are not then we will try to find housing for them tonight, put them up in hotels. Food, we provide food and also transfer them to the Red Cross for clothing and do whatever we can to assist.”
It only took the Fire Service about forty-five minutes to bring the blaze under control. But as expected, no sooner was the fire out than the National Fire Service itself came under fire.
Brian Hall, Ex-firefighter
“The firemen were fighting the fire from behind the fire instead of fighting in front of the fire. When you fight a fire from behind it you are cooling it off and allowing more oxygen to feed the fire, so you should get in front of the fire.
Next thing a fire truck came that should have about ten lengths of hose and when I opened both sides of the fire truck not one length of hose on it.”
Henry Baizar, Fire Chief
“Well you can’t fight the fire from in front of the fire. I mean you need to have proper suits and things. I mean the firemen are human beings likewise and these clothes that they wear will only protect you from certain amount of heat. You need to fight the fire from behind.”
Tuesday night’s fire once again highlighted the risks Belizean firefighters take whenever they are called out to a scene. One fireman we saw was overcome by the intense smoke and heat. In an interview with the press at the scene, Fire Chief Henry Baizar, said the safety of his men is among the top priorities of a draft plan they have submitted to government.
Q: “I know when a reporter of ours covered a story recently there was the complaint that our firemen, they are not insured. Is this matter as well being discussed?”
Henry Baizar
“Yes. At the present moment we are in the process of presenting the government a complete plan for the National Fire Service. A draft of that has been sent to the Ministry today, this afternoon. And they will look at it and if there needs to be any amendments, it will come back to us, come back to me and then we will put it forward because we want it to get to Cabinet for next week Tuesday.”
Fifty fire hydrants are supposed to be installed throughout the city before the end of the year, but Minister Bradley says the basic problem is the type of construction and conditions of the city’s houses.
Dickie Bradley, Minister of Housing
“We want to use the occasion to emphasize again, wooden homes are very vulnerable to fires. We need to ensure that in fact there is distance between wooden homes. We need to ensure that no abandoned homes are left standing because it can easily cause problems for the residents.”
Jacqueline Woods
“While the residents of the North Front Street fire will need assistance, Dickie Bradley Minister of Housing says aid has been ongoing for the victims of the Victoria Street fire on June twenty-eighth.”
Dickie Bradley
“Victoria Street, on the spot there are foundations out there for those who already have their paper for their lot and several of the victims who were just merely squatting or staying with relatives and friends have been given lots and are now building at Lords Bank and Hattieville. So the same kind of approach will be taken out here today.”
