A large fire in the early hours of Sunday, December 29th, south of San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye, has displaced 12 families. The blaze destroyed two wooden structures and a metal-framed garage. Authorities are investigating the incident as a possible act of arson. As part of the investigation, a female suspect was detained but later released.
According to a report on the incident, police were alerted to a fire around 1:30 AM on Sea Star Street, near the southern gas station. The San Pedro Fire Service was also notified, and fire engines quickly rushed to the scene, where they found a wooden apartment building engulfed in flames. As they worked to extinguish the fire, it spread to another wooden apartment building and a nearby metal-framed garage. Under the leadership of David Guerra, the island fire service was able to contain the blaze. However, the fire destroyed the structures, personal belongings, and other items in the area, including an Isuzu Rodeo SUV and a motorcycle parked in front of the apartment buildings. Fortunately, no human injuries were reported, but three dogs lost their lives in the fire.
A nearby resident, Manuel Baki, witnessed the ordeal and attempted to move three golf carts from the area, but the intense heat of the fire still damaged them. Baki noted that the neighborhood came together to tackle the blaze with a bucket brigade, but their efforts were insufficient to save any of the structures. He also praised the bravery of two police officers, PC Robateau and PC Bradley, who rescued four children from the burning building. The children had been trapped in their apartment without their parents.
Arson identified as the cause of the fire
Initial investigations reveal that earlier this morning, around 1:00 AM, a tenant named Fermin Witzil, 40, was at his sister’s apartment on the second floor of their building. Suddenly, he heard a loud hissing sound coming from the gas tank in his apartment on the ground floor. Witzil stated that he rushed downstairs and attempted to open the door to his apartment when an explosion occurred. The blast threw him backward, but he managed to enter his apartment. Once inside, he observed that other gas tanks were open and releasing gas, which fueled an uncontrollable fire.
The report indicates a female living with Witzil in the apartment over the last four days had threatened to harm the residents of the second floor.
Kenneth Mortis, Station Supervisor, National Fire Service, confirmed that arson is the only cause that they considered. “The pre observation to before the fire started whereby it was reported that a golf cart was seeing fleeing the direct scene and then shortly after the fire erupted,” he said. “In these days surprisingly you don’t need an accelerant to be a mischievous fellow. Everything around you is an accelerant, such as the clothes you are wearing.”
While the extent of the damage are still being assessed, the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) branch on the island has been working on ways to assist the victims. Since early this morning, NEMO, Regional Commander Senior Superintendent Alejandro Cowo, and Fire Service and Belize Electricity Limited members have been evaluating the situation. NEMO’s Coordinator for Belize Rural South (Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker), Vanessa Parham, has been gathering information about the devastating fire for NEMO’s headquarters in Belmopan City. The next step is to begin providing humanitarian aid to the affected families.
In San Pedro donations can be taken to the San Pedro Lions Club by contacting them through their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064824399858. Parham can also be contacted at 614-5865 and organizations like the Restoration Church is also collecting donations. They can be reached at telephone number 623-0316 or 628-9405. The Rotary Club of Ambergris Caye is also raising funds via a Go Fund Me page https://fundrazr.com/HelpSPFV2025?ref=ab_5uWqg47GeWo5uWqg47GeWo.