by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Mon. July 3, 2023
A pair of fires at two different locations in the Cayo District over the weekend resulted in a horrific loss of life in one incident and substantial property damage in another.
The first incident occurred in the village of Duck Run I, in the wee hours of Sunday morning, culminating in the tragic loss of a local woman, Michele Mendez.
Mendez was a familiar face in the village, holding a job at a local bar, a business venture of Wilmer Chavez. Her residence was in the same house as Chavez’s mother, the structure consumed by the fire.
Based on unofficial reports, Mendez had been serving clients at the bar and partaking in drinks herself throughout Saturday afternoon, and upon leaving to go home around 2 a.m., two men showed interest in joining her for further drinks, but she refused.
It was later that morning that a fire broke out at Mendez’ shared home. The fire was extinguished by Spanish Lookout firefighters. After the fire was put out, Chavez and his family, while sifting through the remnants of the blaze, discovered what appeared to be human remains, which they believe to be that of Mendez, amidst the debris of the once-standing home.
As an official post-mortem is underway, the community has been left in shock and mourning as the news of the tragic loss spreads.
The Spanish Lookout Fire Department, which attended the scene, is working diligently in collaboration with Duck Run to thoroughly investigate the incident.
Kenneth Mortis, the Station Manager of the National Fire Service, told us that he remains in communication with the Officer in Charge of the Spanish Lookout Fire Department, and expressed the hope “that he can have some in-depth info regarding the fire first thing in the morning.”
A second fire broke out on 2nd Street in San Ignacio early Sunday, in a two-story house nestled between Sacred Heart College and Burns Avenue. The fire rapidly consumed the upper wooden parts of the house, leaving only the cement structure of the ground floor.
According to neighbors, Leonardo “Polo” Waight, 85, the sole occupant of the house, was safely evacuated, thanks to the quick actions of two passersby who spotted smoke coming from the house shortly before 3:30 a.m. The two good Samaritans jumped the fence, woke Mr. Waight, and helped him to safety.
Further unofficial reports indicate that when the National Fire Service arrived on the scene at around 3:45 a.m., they faced a significant challenge. The fire hydrant located directly in front of the burning house was locked off, and this forced them to make several trips to refill their water supplies for the fire truck.
The fire also destroyed surrounding infrastructure, and damaged several power lines, which Belize Electricity Limited was swift to replace.
Mr. Waight’s vehicle, which was parked under the house, was rolled out of the yard, barely escaping the fire’s reach. At the moment, neighbors have informed us that Mr. Waight is currently staying with his brother, whose name was not indicated.
As investigations are underway, initial reports suggest that this fire was due to an electrical issue. The status of insurance on the property remains undetermined.
Similarly, Amandala reached out to Station Manager Mortis for an official report. He informed us that he had just become knowledgeable of this fire, and was “yet to receive something official from my team out there.”