7 News Belize

Domestic Dispute Leads To Arson
posted (July 28, 2020)
There was an apparent arson in the heart of Belize City last night - and three children were lucky to have escaped.

It happened at around 7:00 on Wagner's Lane in the heart of Belize city and flattened one home while partially destroying another.

Tonight, residents and their children are struggling to put their lives back together after undergoing such tragedy in already hard times. Cherisse Halsall found that it may have all started with a domestic dispute:

Wagner's lane was ablaze last night as a wooden house tucked in between several others was set on fire. Eyewitnesses say that the fire was the result of a domestic dispute around 7:00.

Lancelot Flowers, Fire Victim/ Neighbor
"According to the witnesses they set the house on fire willfully, destroying everything for the owner. This is my little house over here with all my little pride and joy. I suffered from their damage, from their reckless behavior, you know, and I would never have thought that it would come home to me. I always see people get into fires and feel sympathy with them but I experienced it first hand and It's very dangerous it's traumatic."

Station Officer Orin Smith is the lead investigator on the case. We found him among the ashes this morning still hard at work gathering information, and by this afternoon he could confirm that it had been a case of arson.

Orin Smith, Station Officer
"The result of this fire indicates arson. The fire itself is classified as incendiary the investigation reveals that the structure was occupied by a family of four, a mother and three sons neither of whom were at home at the time that the incident occurred, neither of the structures damaged in the fire were insured."

"Investigation revealed due to, or from the interviewing of witnesses within the area Indicate that a female and two other companions visited the structure and shortly after they had left the fire was seen."

A fire that has taken two homes, one that was completely burned to the ground, and another too badly damaged by the flames to house the children that had to escape it.

Cherisse Halsall:
"Sir what was it like getting the children out of the house?"

Lancelot Flowers, Fire Victim/ Neighbor
"They were crying because this is what they love you know they love the little neighborhood. We've never had a fire through here. I don't think we've ever had a fire i'm 36 and I don't remember any such. So this is one of the first fires through Wagner's Lane. The kids were crying a lot of people came and tried to help if you notice my house didn't burn all the way but it got it enough to not be good for anything."

Two women have been detained in connection to this fire.

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