11 Belize City residents are homeless tonight, only days before Christmas, after their apartment on Cleghorn Street was destroyed this morning.
The fire happened at around 9:00 when this 2-storey apartment was gutted by a fire which started in a bedroom in the upstairs flat. Before the tenants, and the landlord could do anything, the flames spread and destroyed everything upstairs.
The firefighters managed to put the fire out, but in the process, the downstairs flat received water damage. It's a disaster for these persons who lost everything in the fire, but investigators say that that this was a case of arson.
We'll get to their comment, but we start first with our interview with one of the neighbors, who is relative of the landlord. She was inside her home when she was enveloped by the choking smell of smoke:
Shawn Pacheco - Neighbor
"This morning, I was in my bed sleeping, and I heard the fire truck. When I looked out through my window, I saw my step-mom's house on fire. So, I went downstairs and I called her. She was really lost at the moment. Her son said that there was a tenant inside. He had lit the mattress on fire, and when they tried to stamp open the door, he was behind the door. That's all I can say."
Daniel Ortiz
"Do you have an ideas why someone would intentionally burn a property like this?"
Shawn Pacheco
"I have no ideas. What I heard is that he's trying to commit suicide."
Orin Smith - Station Officer, National Fire Service
"The National Fire Services received and responded to a report from the police of a structural fire at #45. On arrival on scene, thick grey, smoke and flames were seen coming from the upper flat of a 2 story wooden structure with zinc roofing. As a result of that fire, the upper flat of that structure was extensively damaged. The lower flat received water damage as a result of fire extinguishment activities. The fire, preliminary investigations revealed, originated on the southwest of the structure, in a room. The fire is designated as incendiary."
Daniel Ortiz
"Meaning someone intentionally set it?"
Orin Smith
"Meaning, it was lit by someone in an area which they know fully well that fire should not have been lit. 1 tenant, who also occupied the structure said that after being alerted of the fire, he went up to the structure to get into the room to attempt to extinguish that fire. The individual in that room refused to give him access. After he had gained access, the individual ran out from the room."
Police took one resident into custody for questioning about this fire.
If you would like to assist the landlord in rebuilding her property, you can reach her at telephone number 635-7750.
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