A house collapses in Orange Walk; 10 year old boy critically injured
Two children were injured today in a freak accident up north. Ten year old Brithon Cordova is in critical condition while his nephew, seven year old Jovuan was more fortunate and sustained minor injuries when their house crashed on them. The accident happened on San Martin Street in Orange Walk Town this morning when Brithon and Jovuan were playing under the zinc house. Freelance reporter Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody
“Just around nine this morning, ten year old Brithon Cordova and his seven year old nephew, Jovuan Griffiths were playing under their zinc home here on San Martin Street in the Union Town Area of Orange Walk Town when the house fell on top of them. Luckily, Jovuan only received abrasions to the legs. But it wasn’t until an hour later that little Brithon was rescued from under the house.”
Brithon Cordova
Melissa Cordova, Sister of Brithon Cordova
“When I mi di lay down pan the bed. The only thing we feel; the house gone side way. He holla, Jovuan, Jovuan; Jovuan deh under di house. So I say well ih dead now. The lee bwai from back deh, R-Kelly, ih stand up right yah and Jovuan di holla help, help R-Kelly help. And the lee bwai just start to cry and say I can’t help yo if the house deh pan top ah yo Jovuan; I can’t.”
Both Brithon and Jovuan were rushed to the Northern Regional Hospital. And Brithon was later transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in critical condition. Brithon’s Father, Jacobo Cordova, who is also Jovuan’s grandfather, was at work when he was alerted of the incident.
Jacobo Cordova
Jacobo Cordova, Father of Brithon Cordova
“I mi gone work when dehn gone hail mi the thing drop down. So I gone right dah hospital gone see my lee bwai. Brithon and Jovuan—mi son and grandson. The man seh ih mi broke his knee, but when dehn ker ahn dah the hospital, nothing noh happen to the man; dah just the next one weh mi deh underneath.”
Duane Moody
“You said Jovuan didn’t get as much hurt. Why?”
Jacobo Cardova
“Because he mi deh pan dah bike deh soh and ih look like the bike help ahn wah lee bit noh. Ih just get bruise pan ih leg.”
Melissa Cordova
Residents from the neighborhood ran to the Cordova’s aid; ripped up the flooring and jacked up portions of the house to rescue the boys.
Melissa Cordova
“The bwai weh mi di work deh, Miss Yam, Mister Yam, Mister Chuc; dehn come over—everybody come over and tek them out from under the house. My Uncle Largo come and try hoist up the house and some more come and the red thing weh deh down deh, he start to put up the house and dah so deh get ahn out.”
Jacobo Cardova
“They mi di find ahn that’s why they rip up all the house inside fi try tek ahn out.”
Duane Moody
“They used as well.”
Jacobo Cardova
“Yeah, wah jack yeah.”
Melissa Cordova
“All ih eye; around the eye mi done di get blue. All his hand mi di get cold and immediately they rush ahn dah hospital.”
Duane Moody
“He was sitting underneath it and it just came down on him?”
Melissa Cordova
“Yes I think it drop top ah ih back.”
The family has been living there for the past three years and Jacobo says that they expected the home to fall.
Jacobo Cordova
“I mi di expect it. A good while we di live in deh and ih just drop down.”
Duane Moody
“Has it always been shaky or something like that to make it possibly drop down?”
Jacobo Cordova
“Yeah, it mi shaky. We mi put some posts but the man kinda soft too check and ih drop down. I just wish mi lee bwai get good.”
The family is now staying with some friends in the neighborhood. Duane Moody for News Five.
At least ten persons lived in the house; six of them were inside when it fell but escaped unhurt.
What a terrible incident. I hope the injured boy can recover.
But who lives 3 years with young children in a house expecting it to fall? Somewhere in those 3 years, couldn’t one of the adults have made some effort to make a repair,maybe pile cement blocks under it? What were they waiting for, a miracle from heaven? It’s our own primary responsibility to take care of ourselves, our families, and our homes, not to hold a palm out waiting for somebody else to take care of us.
I actually believe there may be a case for the adults endangering the children by their neglect.
How sad for the family. I really dont like when these things happen. But at the end of the day, the dad is to blame. If he knew that the house was showing signs that its about to fall, and you do nothing about it, then you just simply dont care. Common, you had children in that house, thats enough reason to worry about the integrity of your structure.
I hate to say it but some Belizean mothers & fathers should be awarded with the Darwin Awards (that simply means you would be awarded for your stupidity) The parent lack of judgement almost cost these boys their lives, I pray that Brithon will pull through this & be okay.
I agree with Bear totally. It is a weakness in our country to expect someone else to do everything for us. Come on, take pride in yourselves people. Be defendant of your own life and family!! Well, accident has happened lets hope the little one will recover
This is really sad mein. The gov need to help this fam. Instead of paying the gansters not to kill this is where they need to put the money…
I agree that we as fathers should protect our children, but please don’t be making statements as if though these people are stupid.
you try feeding 8 kids everyday and putting them thru school.
there are alot of hard working dads out here trying to support their families..
what we need is to start being a community again and not looking down on people that are less fortunate and unable to make certain needs met.
I agree with bzean…You have to remember what percentage of Belizeans live in poverty. We are not all fortunate. If you would have taken the time to notice the house is made of zinc, you would obviously realize that father tried what he could to put a roof over his children’s head. You need to realize that things are not easy today. Depending on ourselves is a first direction, but when you can’t, what do you expect? Gov’t needs to look more closely into Housing Projects and stop awarding the people that are well off to get away with our tax money. No matter what color they are, if they are not in that percentage of people that are poor, they should not get help. Please help the poor…not the wolves in sheep clothing.