Buildings on John McAfee’s compound burn to ground
John McAfee – now there’s a name you probably never wanted to hear again…but you will, because early this afternoon two large wooden houses on his gated compound in Carmelita in the Orange Walk district went up in flames. Reports are that the blaze was fast and furious, and by the time the Fire Department responded there was nothing they could do to save the structures or anything inside. The large compound is located at the foot of the toll bridge overlooking the river, and this afternoon Mike Rudon was there and has the story.
Mike Rudon, Reporting
The charred skeletons of two large wooden houses joined by a verandah are all that is left of spacious main home once occupied by eccentric millionaire John McAfee, who departed Belize in less than favourable circumstances after he was sought for questioning in a murder on San Pedro.
And across the way are the remains of a palapa hut, which caught fire after cinders from the thatched roofs of those homes struck it.
The compound was deserted, except for Natalie Wade, who lived in this home at the front of the compound. She wasn’t home when it happened, but received a call from a friend who passed at a little after one and saw the fire. She told us off camera what she saw when she got to the scene.
Voice of: Natalie Wade, Lives on Compound
“The two house mi doen deh pan fire, after that the palapa ketch. Ih almost mi done burn. I just run upstairs and try get what I coulda mi get out and just watch the fire making sure it noh burn my stuff them.”
Mike Rudon
“The fire jump straight from the house to the palapa?”
Voice of: Natalie Wade
“From the house straight to the palapa; the leaves weh mi di fly off fly to the palapa and soh ih ketch too.”
Noel Codd
Noel Codd is the caretaker of the property, and was called by Natalie Wade, and that’s when he called the Fire Department and rushed to the scene. But by then it was too late.
Noel Codd, Caretaker
“After one Natalie was at work, but they called her and told her that the place was on fire. So I call straight dah fire station. And the guys responded; right away they call the person in charge called someone else and they come up. But by that time deh, I done gone pick up two young lady weh di work with we, and they said well the thatch engulf now and I rush and open the gate. But by the time we rush, it mi done ketch the thatch and it was like gas line just like voop quickly.”
Mike Rudon
“What all was inside the house; they had two sizeable houses?”
Noel Codd
“Yes ih mi fully furnished. Refrigerator, stove, beds, Jacuzzi; fully furnished lockers; everything.”
According to Codd, the timing couldn’t be worse, as the property was for sale and prospective buyers had indicated that they would sign the contract in a week. And of course, it seems that McAfee’s curse is alive and well, even in his absence.
Noel Codd
“When I called Mister McAfee when it was happening, he was the one who had to cool me done instead of me saying it’s gonna be good. He said we are going to get through it. But it’s a loss mien…like really bad luck. We had a contract. I mean the property would have been sold; I would make, you would make and we would have moved on instead of all of this. The man would have gotten back something because the price it was selling wasn’t the real value of the property. He just wanted to get rid of this property because he is not welcomed in Belize anymore. I called him again and he is not happy about it; lost a lot of money here. He is not even here and he is losing stuff. I still can’t believe this happened. I am at a loss for words. Can’t believe this thing happen when I just mi deh pan the property yesterday with the guys.”
Preliminary indications are that the fire started here, in this open area next to McAfee’s compound, where posts planted in the ground were still smoldering. But of course, the fact that the compound belongs to John McAfee always leaves room for speculation that it was arson.
Noel Codd
“If it’s bushfire or dehn set it, I’m not sure because they always have bushfire, but it is the first time it happen in this area—well for a long time we neva hear bout arson. I guess over the weekend they had an arson in Carmelita Village, a small little house, but it’s just. I don’t know what to say, what to think about it because it happened so quickly. If it was a bushfire, across the street or across the road, they had bushfire and stuff—big fir—and nothing. But this one yah was like… I don’t know. It makes you wonder.”
The total loss, including the houses, the palapa hut and all the items inside, have been estimated in the region of more than half a million Belize dollars. Mike Rudon for News Five.
Codd told us today that none of the buildings which burned down were insured, so it is a total loss.
!@#$ belize! Spend your money in nicaragua or costa rica.
Lots of money lost because of fire. Its a good thing that their were no lives that were taken due to this accident. http://www.palapastructures.com/
I would bet my life that this was not an accident!!!!
Belize is an international JOKE!
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer fugitive.
Let’s have some reporter do a follow-up story on the investigation into the murder of Mr. Faull. Has the FBI lent a hand? The poor man is still dead, shot in the back of his head, and he deserves justice.
Mr. McAfee. For a smart guy like you I would of think you had insurance. You better than any one else knew this was coming. I know more or less how you felt living in this country. There are so many injustice if you dont bend their way. I am a Belizean and see it all the time. I also belive in karma and one day it will come. Sorry for your lost. This will just make you stronger.
@Mike…Bless u….Nicaragua and Costa Rica far worse than Belize..why you think so many central americans live here now….wake up….as for McAfee….Karma…..you reap what u sow…so he will be getting exactly he deserves!!!
At least McAfee is lucky to be out of this dangerous country because he could have ended up like the China man from the foam factory or Peters 3rd.
Someone deliberately set McAfee’s home on fire .. Sad ooh well , Once again Belize will never know who is the arsonist !!!
@Eye in the Sky, he could even have ended up like his neighbor, Mr. Faull.
KARMA!!!!!!!!!
This is very clear and simple, not “karma”, this is the easy way out and getting some or more of his capital investment back. People like McAfee always has a secondary plan for unforeseen event such as this, legally it is called insurance. Belizeans, don’t be fooled by all this talk about karma. This man is way ahead of the game.
What gives…Mr McAfee probably sent someone to light it up for him, that way it makes him look like a victim…his caretaker said Mr. McAfee sounded calm…..soooo…..?????
Once again,the claims of McAfee are supported by actions of those in Belize. Slash and burn bush fires ‘accidentally’ burning down a compound owned by McAfee,a person responsible for outing the corruption in Belize? I think not! What are the odds on that?!
Once again,the claims of McAfee are supported by actions of those in Belize. Slash and burn bush fires ‘accidentally’ burning down a compound owned by McAfee,a person responsible for outing the corruption in Belize? I think not! What are the odds on that?!
The chances of John’s house burning down accidentally are 100% – UNLESS John has Insurance on the house then there is a 100% chance he is committing Insurance Fraud.
John is not a Hero who wants to save Belize and expose corruption. He simply wants to badmouth your country and make it look bad so he can make himself look better. If Belize is corrupt and horrible than John can say he is a saint and a victim.
John wants to hurt your country and tourist industry. If he cared so much about Belize when he was there then why was his true focus only on himself, child sex victims and being buddies with the worst criminals in your society?
Did John open a homeless shelter, a school, did he ever do anything more for the children of Belize than try to have sex with them? No.
Lots of idiots posting here. McAfee is no saint, but Belize is a failed state. Time will tell. The only Karma issue worth noting is Dean Barrow’ s awful administration. A modern day Mussolini, who will also probably end up poor And tortured Himself one day. I won’t weep for him.
This article is not about the Honorable Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize.
This article is about a John McAfee a man who is still a person of interest for the murder of Greg Faull.
PM Barrow is an elected official and John McAfee is nothing (except) for a murder suspect who admitted to having sex with vulnerable teens. So we should all believe John didn’t kill Greg, sleep with kids, and abuse dope?
We should all believe that PM Barrow burned down John’s house and Belize is just a horrible, horrible place. Do you know how stupid that sounds? (whoismcafee.com blog)
I really find it much easier to believe that John was having sex with children, using dope, probably killed his neighbor Greg Faull and might have had his own house burned down to collect insurance.
Dean Barrow may not be a perfect man but compared to John McAfee – Barrow is a Saint.
Well, at least no one got hurt in the blaze. http://www.palapastructures.com/