7 News Belize

Eyannie’s Home Burnt Down: Was It Arson?
posted (October 12, 2010)
One month ago - all of Belize City was plunged into grief when little Eynnaie Nunez was shot and killed as she slept. It was as senseless and merciless a killing as we've reported.

And that's why we weren't quite sure what to make of it when we got the news early this morning that her family home - the same home she had been killed in - was on fire.

It happened around 1:00 this morning - and while the rumors suggest it was burnt down - Monica Bodden went looking for facts.

Monica Bodden, Reporting
This is all that is left in the family yard of 8 year old Eyannie Nunez.

Francine Pitts - Home Owner
"Approximately about 2:10 - 2:15 my sister in Chicago called me and ask me if it's true that my house is burning down and I told her no because I left from there about 11:00, I just check the house and I went back where I was staying."

Little did she know her home would be completely destroyed by fire just a couple hours later.

Francine Pitts - Home Owner
"The police called me to confirm it, they call and ask if this is Ms. Francine Pitts and I told them yes it is and they told me that my house is on fire and they asked where I was and I told them where I was at the location where I am staying. They came and they pick me up and they brought me here. When I came I see the firemen putting out the fire on the house at the front and the house at the back was still on fire. When they finish putting out the fire I went in and saw that I had lost everything."

Fire fighters arrived on the scene 3 minutes after they received the call. But even with the quick response - nothing could have been saved.

Kenneth Mortis-Training Officer (Fire Department)
"It was ugly in the sense that had the Munnings' house hadn't been cement then that would have also been burnt. When we got there the sidings on that particular house was already on fire. The one at the back already had fire on the outside portion of the walls. Luckily for us there was nobody beside this structure except a big old tree, which sustained fire damage. It was an ugly sight, the wind was blowing in a south easterly direction so we had to maneuver to get between those structures to do what we could have done."

So far the fire department has found no form of arson.

Kenneth Mortis-Training Officer (Fire Department)
"Looking at a fire of this timing and nature, you might be wondering how come a fire would happen with nobody being home. Neighbors are speculating one story, while one individual who occupied the building is speculating another story. We want to come up with the facts. It's unfortunate right now that we cannot say we have found anything to directly link the cause as to what they are speculating. Both parties are speculating on arson. Fire department does not rely on speculation, we want something concrete. We are hoping that before the day is out we can directly say what we found; we found kerosene, we found gasoline, we found something. But so far we found nothing."

According to Mortis the fire started from the rear of this wooden 2 story structure - which is located at the front of the yard. He also mentioned that there might be some delays in determining how the fire actually started.

Kenneth Mortis-Training Officer (Fire Department)
"It is our biggest fear that if an accelerant was used, then the mass amount of water that was used to extinguish this fire might have been washed away. Added to the fact that the building is of pine material who in terms is in its right age, that might be an added portion that may delay us in trying to directly determine what started this fire."

For this family - the question is - how much more can they take? They have lost everything.

Francine Pitts - Home Owner
"Approximately over $10,000 because I had a big refrigerator, a big washing machine, a big sofa set, nice cabinet, an entertainment center, TV, DVD, clothing, bed, bureau, all of that have gone."

The front house - which the fire started from, was occupied by Dion Gentle - cousin of Francine Pitts. For Pitts she strongly believes the house in the yard was intentionally set on fire.

Francine Pitts - Home Owner
"For me, I believe in my heart that it's an act of what my family member have brought upon me some evil that they does. It's come down to me because I am in the yard. I heard recently there is a lot of incident my family get into and name calling, certain things that happen recently. I can't speculate on that, I am not the judge; I leave God to be the judge of all. What I want to ask them; I have done nothing wrong to them, my child Eyannie didn't do anything wrong. Why?"

Today makes one month since 8 year old Eyannie Nunez was murdered.

Francine Pitts - Home Owner
"Today is actually 1 month to be exact that I lost my daughter so its horrific for me its traumatic, there's no picking up of pieces, there is no restoration in my peace right about now."?

Both houses in the yard were not insured.

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