Bella Vista Blaze Displaces Entire Household

A Sunday morning fire has left an elderly woman and her family with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The blaze tore through their Bella Vista home just before six a.m., forcing them to escape in a matter of moments. One resident tells police she woke to unusual sounds, only to find flames already raging in an attached warehouse. The family got out safely, but the fire destroyed their home and everything inside. Authorities are now investigating the cause. We spoke with a relative who recounted the frightening ordeal.

 

On the Phone: Maria Mejia, Daughter of Fire Victim

“They were asleep when Pineda heard something cracking and we know the weather in Belize is really hot but it was really hotter than it usually is because of the fire. When she woke up and notice the fire was already in the middle of the house, the only thing my sister thought in the moment was to take out my mother and eight-year-old niece inside. We know the fire started at the front part of the house where my sister and brother-in-law room and the business is, because my mother was a home furniture businesswoman and a Facebook live clothing seller. They lost everything, personal documents, clothing, all kinds of stuff, even her business. We can notice villagers in Bella Vista are helping with water and food.”

 

The Bella Vista Village Council issued a call for assistance to the family, including requests for clothing, mattresses, food and household items. The number to call is 673-0116.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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