Fires hit Corozal Free Zone and Dangriga

A business in the Commercial Free Zone suffered a double whammy when two burglars not only robbed it, but accidentally set it on fire. Just after four a.m. police were responding to a fire at Kali International at Toucan Plaza in the zone when they spotted Antonio Palma and Samir Vivas walking towards Corozal town and acting suspiciously. The officers stopped and searched the men and found an assortment of items believed to be stolen and detained them. They then proceeded to the fire scene, to find smoke coming out of the windows on the upper flat of the two storey building. A joint effort by the Corozal and Chetumal fire services quickly brought the blaze under control and the building suffered mostly water damage. According to tenant, Shyman Amarnani, both the structure, owned by the Quinto family, and his merchandise, were insured. Amarnani also identified the items in Vivas and Palma’s possession as coming from his store. Police believe the duo entered the business through a window and used a lighter to find their way around. The flame from the device then ignited something in the store, setting it ablaze. Vivas and Palma have since been charged with Burglary.

But while the fire service was able to save that structure, a resident of Dangriga was not so lucky. On Saturday, police visited an area known as the Sabal Community where they found a ten by twelve foot wooden building completely destroyed by fire. The building’s owner, forty-four year old Angel Sabal, told authorities that he suspects the house was set on fire by a previous tenant whom he recently evicted for not paying his rent. Police are investigating.