Arson suspected in burning of two buses

Fire in motor vehicles are not particularly unusual … except when the vehicles in question are empty, parked, and not running.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Belize City police are investigating to determine if two buses that burst into flames sometime after ten this morning were the result of arson.

Senior Superintendent Allen Whylie, O.C. Eastern Division
“We are investigating that possibility. The information basically was that a brother visited the residence, smelt smoke; saw a vehicle on fire and when he checked the vehicle was on fire. That fire spread to another vehicle so we are not ruling out the possibility that it was indeed set.”

The fire, which appears to have started in the rear of the vehicle, completely destroyed one of the thirty seater buses. Both buses, used to conduct tours, were owned by Shane Meighan who was in Belmopan at the time of the incident. According to Richard Meighan he does not know if or why anyone would want to destroy his brothers’ property.

The fire which occurred on Warrie Street only a short distance away from the police station on raccoon Street did draw a large crowd to the congested neighbourhood. According to neighbours, they did not see or hear anything suspicious prior to the blaze. It was a frightening experience, however, as the fire threatened nearby homes like that belonging to Lorna Brown.

Lorna Brown, Neighbour
“By the time I turn back, I see mi whole house, mi yard inna fire and then I know the gas tank deh right so close and I mi the wonder because I know that I mi gwine cook and then I noh even want come inna the yard because in deh smoky, smoky; the yard deh pan fire.”

Debbie Petzold, Neighbour
“Well I run gone dah back gone get out the kids them out of the house and come out, that’s all.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“The fire started from inside the bus. Where were the flames coming from?”

Debbie Petzold
“Underneath the bus. The green one to the back.”

Dawn Petzold, Neighbour
“I really concerned that just how den just start fire, you understand, how den just start. Den park here too long fi just, you know, wah fire wah just start. So then as one of the neighbour she it could be like the garbage weh den dispose behind the buses too, it could be something like that. Maybe somebody just throw something in the bush.”

Senior Superintendent Allen Whylie
“I am definitely not viewing it as a fact that they attack Eastern Division and our headquarters. All fires are fires of concern. Someone lost and yes, we’ll treat that investigation just like we’d treat as if we had been attacked. You can rest assured of that.”