Fire leaves family homeless; cops seek arsonist

It appears that the dry season is upon us … and along with that bright sun and steady breeze comes the danger of fire. But the blaze that destroyed a small home this morning in Belize City had nothing to do with weather and everything to do with anger over a family dispute.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
The small wooden building was owned by Austin Williams. Williams, who lives next door, says he rented the property to one Gwendolyn Reneau. An argument started this morning between Reneau, her seventeen year old son, and the boy’s stepfather after the mother told her child that he could not use the washing machine. The teenager allegedly got upset and started cursing his mother. The stepfather allegedly hit the boy and that caused him to become even angrier, saying not even his own father his dad hits him. Williams says all three were going at it as he walked outside sometime before nine.

Austin Williams, Homeowner/Neighbour
“When I going out on the street, I see them the pull stone at one another and di talk about how they will get to one another and them thing deh, but I couldn’t believe the son would come home and start the house fire and thing.”

Following the commotion, the mother apparently left the house to go to the market, but had not yet get out of sight when the fire started.

Austin Williams
“From before she could reach maybe about a lane or two this occurred because it look like he see when they going out, so he just come back home and do it.”

Reneau’s son had returned to the residence armed with a weapon. Although the young man’s relatives were present at the time, it seems as if nothing was done to stop him.

Austin Williams
“They told me that he come with a big knife and thing and say he wah ketch the house fire and he noh care bout nothing. And it look like they mi afraid to try stop him and he just gone burn it down.”

There was nothing fire fighters could do to save the burning building. However, they did manage to stop the flames from spreading to other nearby structures from which residents had quickly moved out their household items.

At the crime scene, fire and police investigators tried to determine what was used to start the blaze. Reports are that the suspect, who lives at the residence, simply went into his bedroom and set something on fire.

Austin Williams
“I think they say that it started from his mattress. They say he gone into his room, lock up and start it from his mattress.”

The seventeen year old boy reportedly then walked away from the scene. His mother, who was overcome by the tragedy, collapsed and had to be taken away by ambulance. Williams says although he lost a house that cost him several thousand dollars, he feels very bad for Reneau, a single mother, whom he says was working hard to improve her situation.

Austin Williams
“Well the house itself worth I would say maybe a four, five thousand, but she had some valuables in there because she just get a new washing machine, new TV, and different thing because she the try to better her life and thing.”

At news time police were still looking for seventeen year old Karl Reneau.