Welder Killed After Old Military Bomb Explodes in Orange Walk Village

25-year-old welder, Jose Valencia of San Jose Palmar Village, Orange Walk perished on Saturday afternoon when a deadly explosion mangled his body.

According to reports, Valencia was working on a metal object believed to be an old military training bomb when it suddenly detonated, killing him on the spot. The blast was so intense that it shook homes, shattered nearby windows and was heard over a mile away.

Investigators say Valencia was hired by former PUP area representative Dave Burgos to install the device as an ornamental piece on his property. Burgos told police he had obtained three of the old bombs from a man in Carmelita Village, thinking they were inert relics.

Love News travelled to San Jose Nuevo Palmer and spoke with Valencia’s sister about the incident.

Sister of Jose Valencia: “It was a terrible feeling. It’s a feeling of shock because I don’t know. just in your body, you just feel nervous or it’s a terrible feeling. You don’t know what happened or who it was.”

Reporter: What did it sound like to you? 

Sister of Jose Valencia: “Oh, it was a big blast. Big blast. Everything. The house, the zinc, everything. It was really loud. Very frightening.”

Reporter: How are you guys made aware of the situation that your brother was the one involved? 

Sister of Jose Valencia: “Because we were here, my two brothers and I, when the neighbor came running, uh he had just gone to check because he knows my brother works there and the explosion sounded there. So he came running and he said he has a feeling it’s my brother because he had gone to check and they told him they can’t tell him anything about my brother because Mr. Burgos said he just shook his head not seeing anything.”

Reporter: Who went over to identify your brother?

Sister of Jose Valencia: “My mom went over there because I called her and I told her I wasn’t sure if it was him. So she was coming from work. So she went straight there, but she was not let close to anyone. think they just said it’s more than likely that it’s my brother, but she wasn’t able to see anyone or anything.”

Reporter: Has authorities given you guys any information regarding the incident? 

Sister of Jose Valencia: “No, we haven’t gotten anything. They haven’t said anything specified anything. We don’t know.”

Following the explosion, of a MK1 aircraft bomb, the BDF Bomb Squad arrived at the scene and found two additional similar devices, which were safely secured. Police say the object that exploded appeared to have been part of a batch of old British military explosives left behind decades ago when the Crooked Tree Pine Ridge area served as a live-firing range. Investigators are now working to determine how the bomb remained active many years later and whether other unexploded devices may still exist in northern Belize. 

The blast range of an MK1 aircraft bomb is generally minimal, as it refers to a specific type of unexploded ordnance (UXO) that was a training bomb with only a small spotting charge, not a live explosive. While a full-scale MK1 bomb could have a larger blast effect, the term itself does not define a standard weapon, and the blast radius depends on the type and quantity of the explosive fill.

In the aftermath of the deadly blast, last Saturday in San Jose Nuevo Palmar, a crater of two inches in dept, and three feet wide showed a firsthand impact of what the MK1 bomb can do. The bomb carries a more lethal explosion, however neighbours within a three hundred feet radius later turned in what is believed to be chunks of unburned gun powder. The Belize Department in collaboration with the Belize Defence Force are currently reviewing the Constitution in hopes of finding a suitable charge to lay on Dave Burgos, the employer of Jose Valencia and former PUP Area representative for Orange Walk East. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith spoke of the issue in yesterday’s police press briefing.

Stacy Smith, Assistant Superintendent of Police: “At present, the police department in connection with the Belize Defense Force who is the primary experts as it relates to identifying and categorizing what exactly the device is, are in dialogue and we’re reviewing the Dangerous Goods Act to determine what, if any, charges can be brought in light of what the expert opinion as to what exactly that material is. Further to that, a file is being compiled in relation to the death of Mr. Valencia and that will be forwarded to the office of the DPP for the directives there from.”