7 News Belize

Fire on Western Avenue
posted (October 16, 2018)
There was a fire this weekend, which destroyed one of Jamie Bernardez's two homes on Western Avenue in Belize City.

His 2 cousins were staying in the house which burnt down, and their belongings, along with some of his, were destroyed on Saturday. They are puzzled as to what started it.

We'll show you his interview, which he granted to us late this evening, but we start first to the comments from police at today's press conference. Here's what they had to say about what they saw when they arrived on the scene:

Insp. Wilfred Ferrufino NCIB
"On the 13th of October police received information that there was a house fire on 9197 Western Avenue. As a result police visited the scene or the location and upon arrival they observed that there was a two story wooden structure engulfed in flames. The structure was managed to be extinguished by fire personnel, Mr. Garnett and his team; however the building was completely damaged by the fire. No one was at the residence at the time. The investigation by the fire personnel is ongoing. From what we know there was no electricity inside the residence. The two occupants of the residence were not there so police are investigating the matter."

Bernardez told us this evening, that when he got the bad news on Saturday, he was on his job site on the Placencia peninsula. He said that neither he nor his cousins were at home at the time, and he had to rush back to Belize City on the following day, only to find the wooden home in the yard completely destroyed:

Jamie Bernardez, fire victim
"Actually I wasn't here. I was in Mango Creek at the time when they called me and told me about it. So, I really don't know as yet how the fire occurred or what caused the structure to burn."

Daniel Ortiz- Reporter
"Sir, what exactly was inside? Was this where you were sleeping where you were staying? What was it exactly?"

Jamie Bernardez, fire victim
"It was just my house where I put my stuff in, like a storeroom because I stay in my back house. Then two cousins were staying in at the time but they weren't around."

Daniel Ortiz
"And all of their belongings and yours got destroyed?"

Jamie Bernardez, fire victim
"Yes, sir."

Daniel Ortiz
"Do you have any idea, anything you suspect may have caused the fire? What do you think happened?"

Jamie Bernardez, fire victim
"I don't know because I wasn't here. So, I don't know what could have caused it or what happened for this place to burn."

Daniel Ortiz
"Do you suspect that someone intentionally lit it or that some accident happened?"

Jamie Bernardez, fire victim
"Well, I think it was maybe an accident because I don't have problems with anybody. So, I don't think anyone has reason to come and burn down my place."

Daniel Ortiz
"Did it have any kind of electricity access?"

Jamie Bernardez, fire victim
"Yes, it had electricity but we lately cut it out. If people can assist and help out I would accept that. My number is 6280958, you can contact me but I am barely in the city because of where I work- way in Seine Bight, Placencia."

Daniel Ortiz
"You work very far."

Jamie Bernardez, fire victim
"Very far from home."

Daniel Ortiz
"And then you come back home to find this?"

Jamie Bernardez, fire victim
"Yes, sir."

Bernardez estimates that about $10,000 dollars in personal belongings were destroyed. If you would like to assist him to recover, you can reach him at telephone number 628-0958.

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