Email

Print

And while all that marijuana was destroyed legally by fire – it was straight arson when Bernadine Cattouse’s home was burnt down at 4:30 on Saturday morning. Now this Vernon Street structure has some public history. You may recall a story from last year when it was being raised and it fell on a child who was under it. Well now the house has been destroyed by fire and no one was home and neither was there any electricity connected. With that, the owner says it is arson. Jacqueline Godwin found out more.

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
How much more shall we suffer? That is the question that now haunts Bernadine Cattouse and her family of four. The single mother’s home this three bedroom wooden house was deliberately set on fire. It was completely destroyed along with all of the family’s possessions.

The fire comes almost one year after the house had slipped off the jack that was being used to raise the building. The house collapsed and nearly killed ten year old Carolyn Cattouse who was underneath the building at the time and was rescued by a neighbour who performed CPR on the child.

Fortunately no one was home this past weekend when the fire broke out around three on Saturday morning. Today the family is left homeless and troubled about why anyone would want to hurt them and leave them without a roof above their heads.

Bernadine Cattouse, Homeowner
“I nuh see the reason why because I don’t have problem with anyone so I nuh know what to think about it.”

Kenneth Mortis, the Training Officer at the National Fire Service says the building could not be saved when they arrived on the scene.

Kenneth Mortis, Training Officer – National Fire Service
“We found what appeared to be a 20 x 30 structure fully engulfed in flames and as per normal the procedure is for us to extinguish this fire and conduct an investigation. We need to go back, we need to take our thinking caps with us, we need to look at it from a 360 degrees. It will probably take us the remainder of the day, probably as far as tomorrow before we can come with direct answers about the cause of this one.”

It is believed the fire started from inside the bathroom, the family reports that after hearing the bad news and rushed over to the house fire fighters told them that they found the front door open. Bernadine Cattouse says when the family left around eight on Friday night they had locked the doors.

Jacqueline Godwin,
“How would anyone gain access into your house?”

Bernadine Cattouse,
“Well they can get into my home easily because of the windows on the house because when the government gave me the house, the windows weren’t, you couldn’t lock it for safety and you just could open the window and you take out one so that is the way they gained access into my house because I had break-ins in my house and stealing of my stuff so I do believe that someone came in and did that.”

Investigators will need to return to the home to take burn samples from the wall and floor where they believe the fire started and whatever is found will then be given to the Police Forensic Unit.

Kenneth Mortis,
“We have no reason to suspect an electrical cause of any nature. Our training and our electrician confirmed this. It is unfortunate though that however this fire started, there was no direct evidence to say well yes we have a container with flammable substance, namely kerosene or gasoline.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“So it is not an open and shut case?”

Kenneth Mortis,
“It is not an open and shut case. However this fire started, this is probably the work of somebody who knew what they were doing and we need to just tie in closely with the police and we are kind of hoping that if anybody sees or knows anything that they come forward.”

The family has received some assistance from the National Emergency Management Organization’s team in Belize City.

Bernadine Cattouse,
“Well they gave me two mattresses for me and my kids and clothes, the clothes I have on right now is what NEMO gave me, and I really appreciate it and they gave me a little food items; not much but they gave me a little and I do appreciate what they did for me.”

Today however Bernadine Cattouse appealed to the government including her Area Representative to give her a new home because she says she cannot afford it and her family needs a place to live.

Bernadine Cattouse,
“I lose everything that I owned, that my kids’ owned; their uniforms, their school bags, everything. The assistance I need now is for the government to help me in anyway they can. I don’t care which one of them. I need help and I need help very fast because right now I am staying at a sister from the organization I am with and she gave me a little time to stay in the apartment but it is not a big apartment but it still is a shelter over our heads, thanks to Jehovah.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“You’re also appealing to your Area Representative Mark Espat?”

Bernadine Cattouse,
“Yes I do. I am really appealing to him. I just hope he comes out to my aid and I will give you my number so they can help me. My number is 630-8084. You can call that number anytime and you will get me.”

Randine Ford, Daughter of Fire Victim
“My family has a place to stay right now but everything get destroyed in the fire. They have a little bit of clothes which they got with the help of NEMO and otherwise from that they don’t have nothing else.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“But they desperately need a place of their own?”

Randine Ford,
“Yes and I really want to plea to the government and ask them because they give my mom the house and they set it on the middle of the street. The house came and dropped on my sister, they didn’t do nothing for her and now a fire came and a fire took it.”

Bernadine Cattouse,
“I really need to get a home and something in it because I don’t have anything and the job I have is not going to do it so I plea that they help me.”

Bernadine Cattouse says she heavily relies on her faith to help her get through the many trials the family has had to endure. The house and its contents that were uninsured are valued at twenty seven thousand dollars. Reporting for 7News Jacqueline Godwin.

Those wishing to help Bernadine Cattouse and her family can contact her at 630–8084.