Belize District - Channel 5 Belize

Abandoned House Burns Down, Displacing Neighboring Families

Another abandoned building in Belize City has gone up in flames, leaving two families without homes. Just last week, Belize District Station Officer Gladstone Bucknor warned the public about the dangers these abandoned structures pose. He explained that squatters often occupy these buildings and engage in risky activities that can lead to fires. Early Sunday morning, an abandoned building on Hunter’s Lane caught fire, partially destroying a neighboring home. We spoke with Gladstone Bucknor and a resident of Hunter’s Lane to get more details on this incident.

Gladstone Bucknor, Belize District Station Officer, National Fire Service

“Approximately two thirty-five, our fire department received a call about a structural fire. Both stations responded, and three trucks arrived at the scene. When they arrived at the scene, they noticed that they observed that the front structure, a two-story building, was totally engulfed in flames. And spreading to the second building, first floor.”

Reporter

“Abandoned building?”

Gladstone Bucknor

“Yes. The first building appears to be abandoned. However, it’s still under investigation because it seemed that we had some squatters who were actually staying there.”

Reporter

“So like the other abundant place you believe that the persons were staying might have done something to cause the fire?”

Gladstone Bucknor

“As far as our investigation is going. yes. Some type of heat had to be produced at the location where the fire originated from.”

Britney Gordon

“Were any of the surrounding buildings damaged as well?”

Gladstone Bucknor

“Yes. The second structure at number ten Hunter’s Lane received the first floor, completely destroyed and the ground floor, it’s an apartment building divided into two sections two families actually. And the ground floor actually receive a lot of heat and water damages.”

Joan Lightburn, Witness

“The house was abandoned over there. It was right opposite us, the house. And it, as I say we just, I just felt the heat because then, the glaucoma I wasn’t seeing.”

Britney Gordon

“But you felt the intensity, so you think it was a big fire?”

Joan Lightburn

“I is because it burned, look, it burns from there go way down.”

Britney Gordon

“Was your hose damaged any at all to your knowledge?”

Joan Lightburn

“No. No. I thank God that the breeze wasn’t blowing, so it was going that way. That’s why they say the whole of over there burn the first, the house that was right in front of us when you walk and go right over there that the white house, that burn, right down.”

House Burned by Mentally Ill Family Member Still Under Investigation

Late last month, a house on Banak Street was destroyed by a fire, leaving one woman without any possessions to her name. The owner of the house, Shana Tillet, suspects that the fire may have been started by her mentally ill nephew, however, the source of the fire remains under investigation. We asked Gladstone Bucknor, Belize District Station Officer, for an update on the incident. Here’s more on that.

Reporter

“For the Banak Street fire and with the person who was arrested, did you guys assert a cause? Like, how did he start the fire?”

Gladstone Bucknor, Belize District Station Officer, National Fire Service

“We didn’t get to speak to the person at Banak Street. We were still hoping to see that we could actually interview him.”

Reporter

“Is he still in police detention?”

Gladstone Bucknor

“I’m not sure about that one as yet.”

Reporter

“But you received reports that he was mentally challenged?”

Gladstone Bucknor

Yes. He was mentally challenged. Yes.”

Shana Tillett, Homeowner

“ I was at work and I came home because they call and said fire. The house burn down. So when I reached the whole ah this burn down, the whole ah that di look fi go and round deh. But my nephew was upstairs. He not supposed to be up there. He kind of crazy. He stay up here. But I noh know when ih mi di do ova deh and da that up there it start from. Look like ih smoke ih cigarette and ih throw it and ih burn the place. And my daughter lived downstairs, di sleep and neem know the whole top the burn down and she deh downstairs.”

Three Persons Shot on Iguana Street; Suspects Detained

Several people believed to be gang members from the Iguana Street and Neal Penn Road neighborhoods are now in police custody. This follows a shooting on Iguana Street on Saturday that left a man, a woman, and a child hospitalized. On Sunday afternoon in Belize City, three people, including a twelve-year-old boy, were shot during an attack. Marilyn Richard, fifty-six, Edgar Choc, thirty-six, and the young boy were socializing in front of a home on Iguana Street Extension when two men on a motorcycle showed up. One of the men got off, pulled out a gun, and fired multiple shots, injuring Richard, Choc, and the minor. Luckily, a fourth person managed to escape unharmed. The attackers then fled down Elston Kerr Street. This incident happened close to where twenty-year-old Coby Ledlon was fatally shot last week on Iguana Street. Today, A.C.P. Hilberto Romero suggested the shooting might have been in retaliation for Ledlon’s murder.

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Sunday, the 6th of April. 2025, around 12:50 p.m., police responded to a shooting on Iguana Street in Belize City. Upon their arrival, they learned that three persons had been shot and taken to the K.H.M.H. for treatment. Edgar, Choc and Marilee Richards received gunshot injuries as well as a twelve-year-old minor. They are presently at the K.H.M.H. receiving treatment, and they are all in stable condition. Investigation reveal that they were sitting in a yard on Iguana Street when a motorcycle came to the area, a person came off the motorcycle and fired several shots towards their direction. We have several persons in custody at this time. Information revealed that a person that was at the yard was the intended target, but he was not shot.”

Reporter

“Is it in any way related to the previous shooting on that street?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“We have some information that it may be related, so we’re doing follow-up work on it.”

Reporter

“Are police concerned about that area?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“Yes, it is of concern, so we will do several operations and bring in the persons from those areas to try to prevent any further retaliation.”

Marion Ali

“Mr. Romero how effective are these surveillance cameras in providing information that you need to fight these cases at the court and getting convictions?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“The cameras are important as we can trace the route the suspects took as well as sometimes we can rely on these images to identify who the suspects are.”

Birthday Cake Catches Room Fire

What started as a joyous birthday celebration turned into a nightmare for one woman when the lit candle on her cake set her bed on fire, destroying all her belongings. The incident happened on Sunday morning in the room she occupies on the lower flat of her family home on Fairweather Street. Fortunately, the family of seven still has most of their home intact, except for two bedrooms that will need repairs. News Five’s Marion Ali has the full story.

Marion Ali, Reporting

The thick smoke billowing from the residence on Fairweather Street just before eleven on Sunday morning had an unexpected origin, a birthday cake. Astajah Smith had lit a candle on her cake in her bedroom and turned around to snap some pictures. But things quickly took a turn for the worse, as her sister Rackiesha Gregory explained to News Five.

Voice of: Rackiesha Gregory, Sister of Fire Victim

“Ih mi done light the cake, but ih mi about for tek pictures and within a split second, by the time she turn fi reach fi her phone from wherever it was and she turn back, she realize the candle for some reason flip over pon the bed and the mattress start ketch fire.”

According to Gregory, when Astajah realized she couldn’t put out the rapidly spreading fire by herself, she quickly alerted her family upstairs. Within minutes, helpful neighbors jumped into action to assist.

Voice of: Rackiesha Gregory

“By the time we came downstairs, we saw the flames coming through the window, you hear the wires popping up, her electronics and stuff like that and we yell for help and fortunately the neighbors were with us. Everyone came out, they came out with buckets and hoses. We have the neighbor across the street, her son was right in the front here. Her son constantly called until he got the fire pump. And they came really quickly and that’s how the fire was contained.”

Firefighters were just minutes away, which made all the difference, according to Gladstone Bucknor, the Belize District’s Station Supervisor. Their quick response helped contain the situation before it got even worse.

Gladstone Bucknor, Belize District Station Supervisor, National Fire Service

“Seeing that it’s right across the bridge, they responded very quickly. Bear in mind, it’s a wooden structure, two-story, and only one just a portion of the room got damaged downstairs, that’s really quick.”

Reporter

“ So it could have gotten worse?”

Gladstone Bucknor

“It could have gotten far worse than what it did. It’s a two-story wooden structure, only one room in that area, 16 by 10, got slightly damaged, not completely damaged. It all occurred due to the young lady’s birthday, Ms. Smith’s birthday, and she was having her birthday cake and the fan accidentally knocked down the cake with the candle on top.”

Although the family didn’t get to celebrate the birthday or enjoy the cake, they’re grateful that all seven of them, including two children, are safe and still have their home.

Voice of: Rackiesha Gregory

“It was supposed to be a birthday celebration, but we’re thankful that we’re all alive and no one was hurt. And, yes, it’s material stuff. But It’ll take a while to get it back, but we’re grateful that we’re all alive.”

Gregory says the family can always rebuild, but they will need a little help.

Voice of: Rackiesha Gregory

“By the grace of God, if we receive help and the family comes together and pull through. ’cause once we get materials, you know, we can go from there. ’cause my dad’s field of work is construction and my husband could always assist him.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

Another City Fire, House on Ebony Street Completely Destroyed

On Sunday, another fire broke out in Belize City, this time on Ebony Street. Unfortunately, no one was home to save the house, and by the time the fire truck arrived, it was completely gutted. Station Supervisor for the Belize District, Gladstone Bucknor, explained to reporters that there wasn’t much they could do, as they had just returned from putting out a bush fire.

Gladstone Bucknor, Belize District Station Supervisor, National Fire Service

“A cement bungalow structure actually completely got destroyed with all the contents inside. As far as the investigation reveals, we understand that the person who owns it, Ms. Humes, is deceased and I think her daughter lives in the house now.”

Reporter

“Do you have any idea what caused the fire?”

Gladstone Bucknor

“The officers are out there, they’re still looking at that. At the time of the Ebony Street fire it was after 12 on Sunday afternoon.”

Fire Official Says Faulty Wiring Destroyed Hattieville Home

Meanwhile, Bucknor provided details about a fire that left a family in Hattieville homeless last Friday morning. He explained that their investigation revealed the blaze was caused by faulty electrical wiring in the house on Old Hattieville Road.

Gladstone Bucknor, Belize District Station Supervisor, National Fire Service
“It’s a wooden structure, with about a four-foot elevation off the ground, completely destroyed. We have one female and her two kids staying in the house. That one, the fire originated in the kids’ room and again, electrical faultiness has a lot of role in that one. We found beatings where the fan was plugged in. And we actually discovered that there’s only a 20-amp breaker that was filling a whole entire building. So it was overloaded.”

Gunfire Heard at the PGIA

More gunfire erupted in the early hours of Sunday morning, this time at the Philip Goldson International Airport cargo warehouse in Ladyville. Just after midnight, security officers on their routine patrol spotted two figures in the distance on the eastern side of the warehouse. The guards called out, warning the intruders to leave the compound. Allegedly, one of the individuals fired a shot in their direction. Fortunately, no one was injured. ACP Hilberto Romero provides more details.

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Sunday, the fifteenth of January 2025, police responded to a shooting at the PGIA by the cargo area. Information was received that two security guards were working at the time when they saw persons in the compound. They became concerned and told the persons to leave, at which point they heard a gunshot. The police was called. They came and the persons had already left the area. We are reviewing surveillance footage to try to establish the identity of these two persons. The place was not broken into and nothing was stolen.”

Jamaican Denied Entry; Detained; Claims Assault

A Jamaican man is planning to sue the government after he claims immigration officials assaulted him. Christopher McIntyre arrived in Belize on New Year’s Eve for his first visit, encouraged by his friend Sheila Williams, who has been here several times. However, his trip turned into a nightmare. He was denied entry because his travel documents didn’t meet immigration requirements and was detained for a couple of days. When he was supposed to be sent back to Jamaica, he missed his flight and alleges he was assaulted. Sheila Williams visited News Five today and explained that the mix-up happened because she mistakenly put his hotel address in her name. When she tried to clarify the situation with immigration authorities, they were rude to her.

Christopher McIntyre, Denied Entry to Belize, Assaulted

“I came in Belize on the 29 of December. I came in Belize the 29th of December for my birthday. My birthday is December 31st, but unfortunately, I got detained by the immigration. The reason for the detention, they said I didn’t have a reservation in my name. And the next thing, when they had me detained, they said they were gonna have me sent back on the 3rd of January. So on the 3rd of January, they made the flight miss me. So when they had the flight miss me, I said to them I wanted to go home and such forth and instead of them make me feel better, they pulled me on the ground, the immigration made the police pull me on the ground, hit me on my face right here and then hit me in my ribs. And they tell me like, shut up, shut up, and relax, shut up, like I shouldn’t speak. And, you know, I didn’t have any rights. I came here to just meet with family and such forth in Belize and once I got detained, this is the treatment I got.”

Sheila Williams, Friend of Christopher McIntyre

“He arrived, and myself and a friend of mine, who’s Belizean, Sheldon were outside. And I said, this is taking too long, so Sheldon went up and asked the officer and they said, well, he’s being detained inside. So, the officer went in. I said, can I see him? I mean, he’s never left Jamaica. He’s got to be scared. So they did bring me in and let me talk to him. And they said it’s the Air B and Bs. I was on the phone trying to get them to change the reservation to Christopher’s name.”

Marion Ali

“They explained to you that that was the issue?”

Sheila Williams

“That was the issue and then this woman, she said she was a supervisor. She came and she says, time’s up. We don’t have enough time for that. She pulled me aside and she basically told me I’m American. I have no rights in Belize to invite anybody to Belize because I am not a Belizean citizen. And I said, well, I’ve got my friend outside. He’s a Belizean citizen. Can he speak? And she says, the matter is done. You need to leave and go back outside. He’s being detained.”

Attorney for Jamaican Says He Will Sue Immigration Department

As we mentioned earlier, McIntyre is from Jamaica. Many Jamaicans use the freedom granted to CARICOM travelers to move between member countries and eventually make their way to the US. However, McIntyre insists this wasn’t his intention. He’s now lawyered up, and his attorney, Norman Rodriguez, is ready to fight the case. Rodriguez pointed out that this isn’t the first time he’s had to step in for tourists mistreated upon arrival at the P.G.I.A. He believes his client was assaulted to silence him.

Norman Rodriguez, Attorney for Christopher McIntyre

“This was something that was done to shut him up because he was shouting, I want to go home, I want to go home. He did nothing wrong and I advised him, comply with them, don’t do anything so that they can bring any other charge or any charge on you. Okay. All right. Um, and so he has left now? No, he’s still detained. He’s still here. He’s still here. But he was supposed to be returned to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital today for him to make an, for him to make an application for the records. of his visit from the alleged beating that he received, the hitting in his ribs. And now he’s supposed to be taken to make a report. He had been calling out for that. And like I said, I’m hoping that they do not try to spirit him away, allow him to make his report, and let the Belize Police Department do what it should, investigate, and charge him there to charge. That is what he wants, right? But if he’s not the one to stay and he, he has already voiced he wants to leave, but he has retained you to represent him. Then where would he be staying? They usually keep them at the global village hotel until their departure. My understanding is that Copa airlines would normally cover the expenses for hotel and food up to a certain point. And then My statement to the Belize Immigration Department because they’ve tried to get me to cover the expenses after a certain time and I’ve said to them, You’re the one who have this person detained. Have they done so in this case? Well, today would be the day that test will come, but in the last, the last three people that I represented, I totally did not pay any attention to them.”

Teen Relatives are Charged for Robbery

Tonight, two teenagers, aged eighteen and fifteen, are out on bail after facing charges of robbery earlier this week. The older teen, eighteen-year-old Randy Cain from Hattieville Village, and his fifteen-year-old relative, a student, were both accused of using force to steal a black Samsung cellphone and an ATM card from Cameron Leon Myvett on December eighteenth, 2024. Appearing before the Chief Magistrate, both teens pleaded not guilty to the robbery charges. Despite the police prosecutor’s strong objections—citing the prevalence of such crimes, the overwhelming evidence against them, and concerns that they might reoffend—the Chief Magistrate granted them bail. The prosecutor argued that the teens had already helped recover the stolen items and feared they might continue their spree if released. He also pointed out that Cain, being unemployed, might negatively influence his younger relative. Additionally, there’s a worrying trend of young men on bicycles committing random robberies, which added to the prosecutor’s concerns. Nevertheless, the Chief Magistrate set their bail at two thousand, five hundred dollars each, with one surety of the same amount. The fifteen-year-old was released into his father’s care and must stay with him in Belize City, away from Hattieville. Both teens must report to their respective police stations—Cain to Hattieville Police Station every Friday, and the minor to Racoon Street Police Station. They are also ordered to stay one hundred yards away from the victim and attend all court dates. Their next court appearance is scheduled for February twenty-first, 2025.