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Two well-known restaurants destroyed by fire

HeadlineTwo well-known restaurants destroyed by fire

A case of arson has left the owner of Ella’s Cool Spot and the Hopkins community reeling. And in Corozal, the National Fire Service continues to investigate what caused the blaze that destroyed JahMundo Restaurant and Bar.

by Khaila Gentle

HOPKINS VILLAGE, Stann Creek, Tues. June 21, 2022

Two popular restaurants, on different ends of the country, were destroyed by fire this week. Down south in Hopkins, well-known restaurant and bar Ella’s Cool Spot was set ablaze in the early hours of Tuesday morning. And less than 24 hours later, JahMundo Restaurant and Sports Bar went up in flames.

Ella Carr, the owner of Ella’s Cool Spot, says that sometime around 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, a neighbor alerted her to the fact that her business was on fire. By the time she got there, however, and despite all efforts by the community to save the establishment, it was too late. The four structures that make up the establishment, which are made of wood and thatch, were all completely destroyed.

Since then, surveillance camera footage has shown that the fire was purposely set by an as-yet-unidentified arsonist. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams confirmed this when speaking with the media on Wednesday. According to the Police Commissioner, while the video evidence—in which a person can be seen lighting a fire—is too blurry to allow identification of the suspect, investigators have been hard at work trying to find out who the alleged arsonist is. At the moment, says the Commissioner, everyone is a suspect, including a neighboring business owner who Carr had recently been in an altercation with, due to competition between their businesses and a property dispute between them that was taken to court.

“Everyone is a suspect at this time, so certainly the fact that they had a dispute and they’re competing neighbors in the same business, that certainly brings them into the fray as a suspect,” Commissioner Williams said.

And while the police may be closing in on the case of arson in Hopkins, fire officials are still looking into what caused the blaze that destroyed JahMundo Restaurant and Sports Bar in the Corozal District.

Sometime around 5:20 p.m. on Tuesday, the owner of JahMundo Restaurant, Ephrain Phillips, was told that his business place was on fire. Similar to the case in Hopkins, however, by the time Phillips rushed over to his restaurant, there was not much that could have been done to save the establishment. While an investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, initial reports are that the blaze was caused by broken electrical wiring.

JahMundo, located in the Finca Solana area of Corozal Town, was a popular spot for locals and visitors alike. Likewise, Ellas Cool Spot in Hopkins was one of the most popular restaurants in the village. Notably, both establishments had thatch roofing, and thus were not covered by any insurance policy. 

Those wishing to assist the owner of JahMundo Restaurant and Sports Bar can contact him through the restaurant’s official Facebook page. Ella’s Cool Spot has set up a GoFundMe account for those wishing to contribute to their rebuilding efforts. The page can be accessed at https://gofund.me/799c9cc3 or by searching “Ella’s Cool Spot Rebuild from Fire” on GoFundMe’s website.

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