Family of Welder Killed in San Jose Palmar Explosion Speaks Out

Two days after a deadly blast claimed the life of 25-year-old welder Jose Valencia, his grieving family is demanding answers while residents recall the frightening moment of the explosion.

News Five visited the scene and spoke with Valencia’s sister, Sarai Valencia, who described the shock her family felt when the blast ripped through the quiet village.

“Well, when that all happened, I was a home here with my little brother when we heard a big explosion. We looked outside and we only saw smoke and everything, and first thought were, well, I hope nobody died or nobody got hurt like that,” she said.

Sarai recalled the fear in those first moments. “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 was a big blast. Big blast.”

The family later learnt it was Jose who had been killed. “The neighbor came running … he said he has a feeling it’s my brother, because he had gone to check. … My mom went over there because I called her, but she was not let close to anyone. I think they just said that it’s more than likely that it’s my brother, but she wasn’t able to see anyone or anything.”

Sarai said Jose had been working with homeowner Dave Burgos for more than a year and had experience as a welder. “He welds, it’s like his part-time job. … So yes, he knows his welding.”

She called her brother’s death unfair and preventable. “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.”

A resident living near the blast site also described the terrifying moment. “We were in the dining room … when we had a loud bang, loud, loud loud. And I said, what the hell. … My younger daughter run, and then we see a puff of smoke.” She said at first she believed it was a gas explosion. “The house kind of shake. … We never imagined an explosion. … It was really frightening, because supposedly whole thing with … we have a gas station. What would have happened to our community, where life was in danger?”

Jose’s uncle, Jonah Gutierrez, remembered him as a dedicated father and role model. “Jose from a very young age, he was a very responsible person. He took on the responsibility of a father, he provided for his mother, for his siblings. … Two years ago he had the blessing to be a father himself. He did mention to us many times that he couldn’t wait for his daughter to be five, six years old. … Unfortunately that won’t be possible.”

The Ministry of National Defence has confirmed that the device Valencia was working on was a military training bomb left over from past exercises. Investigators are working with the Belize Defence Force to determine whether criminal charges will follow.