House Fire Erupts in Belize City

A fire erupted on Wednesday night in Belize City. It destroyed a house on Pickstock Street. While no injuries were reported, the inferno destroyed the belongings and property of several persons. News Five was on the scene, and reporter Britney Gordon has the story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

With Easter Sunday just a few days away, Jessica Lara and her family are tonight in disbelief after a fire destroyed their neighbour’s house on Thursday night on Pickstock Street in Belize City. The fire erupted just a few feet away from Lara’s residence.

 

Voice of: Jessica Lara, Neighbor of Fire Victim

“So I just little while got in back from work and I was just relaxing. I heard my neighbor frantic and that’s what made me look through the window and I saw smoke and I ran downstairs and I told my mom, smoke, smoke and by the time I looked out running, running for a five gallon of water and came back up the downstairs was completely engulfed and it escalated to upstairs and that’s where it got out of hand rather quickly. So it started from the bottom.”

 

Lara, her mother, and her son quickly exited the house and fled from the flames. She told News Five that the upper half of her neighbour’s house was constructed from wood, which contributed to how quickly the fire spread. She says that community members helped control the blaze.

 

Jessica Lara

“I have to commend my community. Everybody tried their best, you know, we did what we could at the moment and tried to clear everybody out of the way so nothing happened to them and it was rough but everybody, I definitely could say, tried in somewhere the next.”

 

Reporter

“Do you feel that the response from the fire service was quick enough in your case? It helped you?”

 

Jessica Lara

“Well, in those times, I mean, it feels like an hour but I’d say when they did come. They work rather quickly because it was huge. They work fast and try to find the main spot on there. I believe they did a good job at containing, well not containing it, but outing it.”

 

Although her neighbours remained unharmed, Lara noted that they were unable to salvage anything from the house, even losing a dog that had been trapped on the second floor. Lara’s house sustained some water and fire damage.

 

Jessica Lara

“It’s more to the back of the house inside. We have a corner that everything completely well burnt, a lot of clothing, nothing much. Well, not to complain about that, but it was starting to catch in there and one of the firefighters, she went in and she went straight upstairs and tried to subside that. So otherwise just water damage and that back area, but thank God that, you know. Everything else is fine.”

 

Lara noted that one of the residents, Alicia Rancharan, was in the process of renovating and furnishing the house before the fire broke out. While Lara and her family are cleaning up the debris and water left in the house, she is unsure of what her neighbours will do next.

 

Jessica Lara

“Well, my neighbor, unfortunately, she was, she recently was trying to get all of her stuff, her couches her appliances. She hey were working really hard to get their stuff and try to build a good life, so definitely a major, major, major loss. Well, we’re trying to see how we can possibly get some help to fix the roofing and the wiring and move from there. Lots of cleaning, but thankfully we still have a structure and everything. So definitely thanks to God for everything. And I’m sure as a community and as Belizeans that we will be able to help Miss Alicia as well and her family, everything, an end can only bring a new beginning. So hoping for the best for them.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.