Tonight, 3 families, including 4 children are homeless after their residence on Prince Street was destroyed by fire on Friday night.
But, the fire caused a scare in the general downtown area because at the particular location where the fire started, there were 4 houses clustered in the same yard. That yard is less than a block away from Albert Street, the commercial section of Downtown Belize City. Couple that with the fact, that we've seen block-burners in this exact area before, and that made the fire all the more dangerous.
That blaze broke out at around 8:30 p.m., just down the street from our Channel 7 studios, so we were on the scene shortly after. Daniel Ortiz has the timeline:
Daniel Ortiz reporting
The fire raged at this two-storey house on Prince Street, while the firemen got their hoses going. Even with civilian assistance, the first hose was not enough to douse the flames.
Another firefighter then climbed up his ladder and tried to get closer and smother the blaze.
The air around him was thick with ashes, still, he laboured on undaunted. That direct assault lasted for about 2 minutes, but then the water pressure dropped; and the fire was untamed.
Another hose arrived a short while later, and gradually, they firefighters started gaining ground.
Other firefighters started attacking the flames from other parts of the building.
Another 10 to 15 minutes later, the fire department managed to get the blaze under better control - but the whole upper flat had been gutted.
John Brackett - Next Door Neighbour
"I was in my bedroom watching television, I didn't know what was going on outside until I've been alerted by my wife that there is a fire at the upper flat of the building that is next to where I live."
Geovannie Brackett
"Clearly this fire was a threat to your house. How did you respond?"
John Brackett - Next Door Neighbour
"I responded first by dialing 911. I also respond by calling the different media houses and ask them to assist me with making calls to the fire station."
Geovannie Brackett
"In your view was the fire service department prompt?"
John Brackett - Next Door Neighbour
"The fire engine took a little while to reach here but as soon as they reach they manage they react pretty quickly in the sense of organizing themselves and do their quick assessment and start to put the fire out. When Mr. Smith came by, there were much more command and control of the crew though. I could say that he did a pretty good job or else my house and several other houses would have gone in the neighborhood, so I must commend him on that."
Geovannie Brackett
"I am not able to see at the back, but I think there are 3-4 houses in the yard. How many?"
John Brackett - Next Door Neighbour
"There are 4 houses total in the yard; there is 3 upper flat and the low house that I live in that is to the front."
The fire was devastating to those who lost property, but it could have been worse, because there were other houses clustered in the same yard.
John Brackett - Next Door Neighbour
"I haven't been to the back because I was busy establishing communication outside, but I got to understand that the house to the back had burnt a little as well. I know they got a lot of water damage."
But for the family living in that house where the blaze was concentrated, it's pretty bad - so much so that the City is treating the ruins of their home as a hazard.
Councillor Phillip Willoughby - Member, CEMO
"There are agencies on the ground right now as we have discuss that we will use extreme caution to negate anyone or prevent anyone from entering the premises until the investigation has been concluded because one; there has to be an investigation, and I believe that yes the structural integrity of the building has been compromise and we would need to take down that structure as soon as possible."
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