BELIZE CITY, Wed. Apr. 17, 2019– Three houses were destroyed by fire on Rose Lane, in Lake Independence, at about 10:30 last night, leaving 7 persons homeless, and all their possessions were either stolen, or destroyed.
Fortunately the Belize City Fire Service went to the scene quickly and confined the fire, and no other houses in the area were damaged.
The houses which were destroyed were a two-flat timber house and two other small timber houses, all owned by Brenda Cadle, 61, also known as Stella Belgrave, and her family.
Cadle told us on our visit with her this morning that the National Fire Service concluded their investigation into the fire and certified that the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction, and that the fire started from her son’s house, near the lower flat.
She told us that at about 10:30 last night, she was in her room on the upper flat of the two-flat house, watching television with her husband, when suddenly, a neighbor shouted to her that the lower flat was burning.
She immediately ran downstairs to see what was happening, and saw flames coming from her son’s house, which began to spread quickly out of control. She immediately alerted the others and ran back upstairs to make sure that everyone was evacuated.
Orin Smith, Station Manager of the National Fire Service, told us this afternoon that the two smaller timber houses were completely destroyed; the lower flat of the two-flat house was destroyed, and the interior of the upper flat was partially destroyed due to fire and water damages.
The occupants of the two smaller timber houses were Kamron Locke, 36; Julius Flowers, 23; and Ashley MacKay, 18; while the two-flat timber house was occupied by Brenda Cadle and Philip Gentle, 62, and two minors.
Cadle told us that she recently returned from the United States and had made an investment in, and improvement of, the house, and showed us an extension to the house and a bathroom on the lower flat that were all now destroyed.
In front of where we were standing this morning, near the lower flat, were two washing machines that were destroyed. Cadle said that one washer belonged to her and the other belonged to her daughter. She said that she now has nothing and is seeking public assistance.
She can be contacted at her address, 2575 Rose Lane, Belize City.