Fire destroys Belize City home

The alertness of Belize City firemen was put to the test today but their quick response just wasn’t quick enough. A mid-afternoon fire on an unnamed street off Faber’s Road has left two people homeless. Patrick Jones was right behind the fire engines as they raced to the scene.

Within a matter of minutes, the ten by twelve plywood structure and its contents were reduced to ashes.

Ronald Frazer, O.C., Belize City Fire Station

“Well, on arrival we saw the entire building engulfed in flames. Upon speaking to some persons, we found out that no one was at home at the time of the fire.”

While no one was at home when the house erupted in flames, neighbors have given investigators an idea of where to begin their search. One woman who lives nearby told Frazer she saw the fire coming from the area that was the kitchen.

Ronald Frazer

“We need to focus on what the first person usually sees. If the first person sees that the fire starts from the kitchen then our main focus will be the kitchen area and how we will know is by interviewing the person who occupies the house. Find out exactly what all was in the kitchen, what time did the last person leave home and that sort of thing which could give us a better idea of what caused the fire.”

While the investigation zeros in on the kitchen as the point of origin, Frazer says that the size of the house and intensity of the flames when fire fighters arrived made it virtually impossible to save anything. Patrick Jones, for News Five.

The house was owned by Martina Arana who works in Placencia. It was being occupied by her nephews Tyrone Garcia and Aldrick Alvarez. Arana’s brother estimates that the house is valued at around five thousand dollars.