Accidental Bomb Detonation Kills 25-Year-Old Welder

Tonight, a community is on edge after a massive explosion in the Orange Walked District claimed the life of one of its residents. But this was not an ordinary explosion; twenty-five-year-old Jose Valencia was killed when he accidentally detonated a bomb in San Jose Palmar Village. Valencia had been hired by former P.U.P. Area Representative, Dave Burgos, to weld hooks on what he believed to be a harmless decorative piece. However, the bomb was not just for decoration and proved to be extremely deadly when it was set off while Valencia was carrying out his work. Now, Jose Valencia’s family is left with heartbreaking questions. How did such a dangerous device end up in someone’s hands? And more importantly, who’s going to be held responsible for the tragic loss of their loved one? News Five’s Britney Gordon has the story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

On Saturday evening, just after four p.m. in San Jose Palmar Village, a massive explosion was heard for miles through the community, sending shockwaves among residents. Unbeknownst to many of them, a bomb had just detonated, and one man was dead as a result. Twenty-five-year-old Jose Valencia had been hired to weld two hooks onto the side of what he was told were decorative training bombs. Tragically, it would be the last job he ever took. His sister, Sarai Valencia says she felt uneasy the moment she heard the explosion.

 

Voice of: Sarai Valencia, Sister of Deceased

“It was a terrible feeling. It is a feeling of shock because I don’t know, it just in your body, you just feel nervous. It’s a terrible feeling. You don’t know what happened or who it was.”

 

Britney Gordon

“And what did it sound like to you?”

 

Sarai Valencia

“Oh, it was a big blast. Big blast. Everything in the house shook. The zinc, everything. It was really loud, very frightening.”

 

Former Orange Walk East Area Rep Dave Burgos had three bombs in his possession, yes, actual bombs. After one tragically exploded and killed Jose Valencia, the Belize Defense Force stepped in and safely defused the other two. Burgos says he thought they were harmless training props meant for decoration. But the Ministry of National Defense confirmed they were real MK1 aircraft bombs, complete with spotting charges. Now, investigators are looking into possible charges as the community demands accountability.

 

ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer

“At present,  the police department in connection with the Belize Defense Force, who is the primary experts as it relates to identifying and categorizing what exactly the device is are in dialogue and we are reviewing the dangerous goods act to the determine what, if any, charges can be brought in light of what the expert opinion as to what exactly that material is. Further to that, a file is being compiled. In relation to the date of Mr. Valencia, and that will be forwarded to the office of the DPP for the directives there from.”

 

One resident, who was at home when the bomb went off says she’s never heard of anything occurring in her community before and is fearful that other bombs may be in the area.

 

Voice of: San Jose Palmar Resident 

“We heard a loud bang, loud loud loud. And I said, what the hell that, you know? And then my younger daughter, she run because her husband was downstairs, and then we see a puff of smoke. That’s all we see.”

 

Britney Gordon

“And did you figure it was an explosion?”

 

Voice of: San Jose Palmar Resident 

“We feel the house kind of shake, right? And we never imagined an explosion we mi think da mi just wa gas tank, you know? So we were waiting to see fire, but we never seen no fire.”

 

Valencia was a welder by trade and had been working for Burgos for about a year. His uncle, Jonan Gutierrez says that his nephew was incredibly responsible and a loving father.

Jonan Gutierrez, Uncle of Deceased

“He took on the responsibility of a father. He provided for his mother, for his siblings. He has two sisters and a younger brother. And two years ago, he had the blessing to be a father himself. He was very excited. He was he did mention to us many times that he couldn’t wait for his daughter to be five, six years old. He was very excited  to see his daughter being a bigger girl. But unfortunately that won’t be possible.”

 

Now, his family is seeking answers and demanding justice. Amid their cries, they are asking: who will be held accountable for Jose’s death?

 

Voice of: Sarai Valencia, Sister of Deceased

“It would be a good for investigation because my brother did not deserve this. He had his whole life to go. He had his daughter to live for, and it was something very unfair because he was just doing an honest job and to die like that, that’s nothing nice.”

 

Reporter

“Would you guys classify this as gross negligent on behalf of his employer?”

 

Sara Valencia

“Well, more than likely, yes. Why not? Why would you have something like that at your home? How will you not know that it is dangerous? How will you put somebody’s life there? Why weren’t you beside there standing up? Why didn’t you get hurt too?”

 

According to Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa, police are combing through Belize’s laws to determine what, if any, charges can be levied. Will the British military take any responsibility for leaving behind these deadly devices in Belize? It’s a concern that’s now front and center as investigators dig deeper into how this tragedy unfolded.

 

Kareem Musa, Minster of Home Affairs

“That is something that we will have to get legal guidance on in terms of responsibility, how it is that Mr. Burgos even came into possession of these things. Because like I mentioned and as it turns out, extremely dangerous to have in your possession, something like that. So we will have to look at the legal options.”

 

Authorities are advising the public to immediately contact the Belize Defense Force or the Belize Police Department if any more of these bombs are spotted and the public is advised to avoid attempting to move or dispose of them on their accord. Britney Gordon for News Five.