Community Comes Together After Massive Columbia Village Fire

Indian Creek Chairman Domingo Choc says his community has stepped in to support families left devastated by Thursday’s major fire in Columbia Village, Toledo District.

He said a group from Indian Creek organised donations and delivered supplies directly to affected families and described the response as an urgent act of solidarity.

“I have council members and community members with me to help these people, cleaning up after the massive fire… We are helping them in any way we could assist them,” he said. We went to the community, and whatever we got, that’s what we brought to hand over the donations that the council collected,” he said. “Indian Creek people are kind-hearted to give whatever they have. That’s why we are here right now to deliver the donations.”

Choc added, “It’s very sad; they lost everything. It’s so sad to see these families like that.”

The blaze started at around 2:35 p.m in a kitchen belonging to one of the local churches before strong winds carried the flames from structure to structure across roughly a quarter mile.

More than a dozen structures were destroyed, leaving several families displaced.

Emergency responders were deployed to the scene. The Fire Department was supported by the Belize Defence Force, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members, and Ya’axché personnel who assisted in mobilising relief efforts. The Toledo Emergency Operations Center was also present to help contain the fire.

Police say no injuries were reported.