Fire Displaces Family of Eleven in Guinea Grass Village

A family of eleven is now displaced after a fire destroyed the home of Rene Sarceno early this morning in Guinea Grass Village, Orange Walk District.  The blaze broke out just before 6:00 a.m. Initial indications, from family members, suggest the fire may have been caused by a faulty electrical outlet in one of the bedrooms. At the time of the incident, only four of the eleven occupants were inside the house and asleep.  According to 25-year-old Jose Mejia, he was awakened by the smell of smoke and immediately acted to get the family to safety. Mejia told Love News that he managed to remove three children from the house, but the fire spread rapidly and the structure and all belongings were lost.

Jose Mejia, Occupant of the Residence: “I received a message from my wife and that’s why I woke up. When I woke up I was smelling fire. When I came out of my room and I woke up my two brothers in law to help me and when he went to call my uncle to come help us. The fire started from an outlet in a room but that room was for my sister in law and no-one was in that room and the room was locked and when I was smelling the smoke the fire was already going up to the zinc. Everything got destroyed. I was trying to save some clothes, but everything got burned. Her mother just bought pampers for him and then everything got burned, milk, everything.”

Mejia says the family is urgently in need of clothing and basic household items. Clothing is needed for children ages 4 to 13, as well as adult clothing. Essential items are also required for a one-year-old child, including pampers and milk.  Persons wishing to assist can contact Jose Mejia at 606-0666 or deliver donations to the village council chairman or relatives of the family in the village. Chairman of Guinea Grass Village, Benito Uk, has since issued a public appeal for assistance to help the affected family as they begin the process of recovery.