Police Pickup Goes Up in Flames in Benque

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood

A police pickup truck exploded in flames in the small hours of this morning in Benque Viejo.  A pair of officers was on patrol in a Wingle and were driving along Said Musa Street when they heard a loud noise coming from the engine. The driver immediately stopped the vehicle but before they could have removed their firearms, the pickup was up in flames. Assistant Superintendent Fitzroy Yearwood tells us more.

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Director, Belize Police Department

“Benque Viejo police reported that on Monday at 1:40 a.m., while PC Zacario Cus and Luis Carado left their station in a red police Wingle pickup bearing license plate number 3392.  They were driving when the driver heard a loud bang.  He said that he immediately stopped the vehicle where he exited and he was somewhere on Said Musa Street.  He said that when he popped the hood, no fire was seen so he got back in the vehicle.  When they got back in the vehicle, he saw fire coming from somewhere around the glove compartment.  He is saying that they then exited the vehicle in a little time because the vehicle then exploded and landed on a wooden structure not too far from the street.  At the end, by the time that the fire department showed up and extinguished the fire, two of our police issued Smith and Wesson firearms were destroyed by fire… The frames of those firearms that were burnt, were found in that vehicle, so we can confirm that yes, they did burn in the fire.”