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In September of 2009 when a worker at Brown’s Butane was blown to bits by an exploding tank – it was clear that something had to be done about the management and regulation of butane vendors within the city. Many of them are in crowded neighbourhoods – and with the very real and present dangers so graphically illustrated in September, the City Council embarked on a project to regulate this long neglected industry. But it’s not as easy as simply enumerating some new rules and setting them in place – the central problem is that business as usual can’t continue as it has been – things have to change radically – which means that – in order for proper regulation to be effected – some of these long –established businesses would have to move out of their present locations. It is a proposition riddled with complications and implementation will be difficult. The Belize Trade Licensing Board discussed the difficulties today.

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
Five months after an inspection of LPG Distributors within Belize City limits today the Belize Trade Licensing Board informed the media that they have not renewed the licenses of three of the liquefied petroleum gas depots and the board will meet on Thursday or Friday to decide whether these operators should relocate.

The butane companies affected are Southside Butane Depot on Central American Boulevard, Brown’s Butane Gas Service on Mopan Street and Philip Neal and Sons on Marigold Lane. These businesses have been allowed to operate for several years at the risk to the populated neighbourhoods they serve.

But everything changed on Monday September fourteenth, 2009 when an explosion took the life of twenty five year old Elton Herrera, an employee of Brown’s Butane Gas Service. Herrera was carrying the tank at the time when it exploded. The fifty pound gas cylinder shot up in the air like a rocket and carried on for two blocks and over a canal before it finally landed and destroyed a wooden veranda about five hundred feet away. The catastrophe underscored the dangers that exist when butane depots are permitted to operate in residential neighbourhoods.

The day after the deadly explosion representatives of the National Emergency Management Organization met and reviewed the regulations for butane operators. That was followed a week later by an on onsite inspection of the depots. The visit led to the conclusion by representatives of the Belize City Council, the Belize Defence Force, the Department of Environment, the Belize National Fire Service and the District Emergency Management Organization, all members of the Belize Trade Licensing Board that the three butane gas companies were operating without regard for community safety and in violation of the Dangerous Goods Act.

Zenaida Moya Flowers, Chairman – Belize Trade Licensing Board
“I mean we are four years later and we are dealing with this and so with all fairness to everybody involved, we have spoken to them before, this isn’t a new thing, they were spoken again and again to but we have to look to the safety of the residents. We have over 90,000 residents that we have to protect and at any given time if you look at where these particular entities are at, it is in very densely populated areas.”

But if all three LPG services licenses will not be renewed and it has been established that they are in contravention of the Dangerous Goods Act, why are these companies still operating in residential areas? And while area residents need the services of the fuel depots they are equally concerned about their own safety.

Tenisha Bodden, Area Resident
“All of us are very concerned because we live nearby and one of neighbours does not have a stove and thing and she cooks on her fire hearth and if anything, you don’t know if late nights and things. And they already said they will drop a bomb across here, a grenade, and this is close to us and thing. So we don’t what will happen. It is very dangerous because a lot of houses are close to each other and if a fire lights it will just blow up and thing. We are not worrying about gas station but people are in danger and thing and then we don’t have no house, we are just trying to live, ketch and kill and thing. So we have to look out for our people same way.”

Michael Middleton, Operations officer – National Fire Service
“If it was left to the National Fire Service, we would tell them to quit immediately because butane is a very volatile product. Butane is stored as a liquid and when released into the atmosphere it expands I think approximately 250 times. These people are operating very unsafe, nobody cares, I guess only the National Fire Service. And especially the owners, they don’t care a bit but when you hear bam who has to respond, the men from the National Fire Service, the front line people. We are the front liners so if it was left to us we would say move now.”

That is the responsibility of the Belize Trade Licensing Board. So what’s the hold up? If it is such an urgent matter and if the board states that these LPG depots licenses have not been renewed why are they still operating in city neighbourhoods? This is how board member Troy Smith answered that question.

Troy Smith, Member – Belize Trade Licensing Board
“Mek a try mek it simple, you apply for trade license or you apply to renew one. The board then has to make a decision. If the board hasn’t made a decision as yet because the person, remember this is renewal, they are already existing, they are already existing, this is renewal and if a license don’t renew while it is still operating, the board then has to make a decision but you don’t get notice from the board as yet. So they are waiting now to see what will be the decision of the board.

The old license expired the 31st of December but bear in mind under the law the board meets quarterly and the first quarterly meeting was in January, just last month, and hence the reason…there has to be an urgent meeting to address the matter and then as the board met, then they will sanctioned. That is the reason why. They are waiting for a response. They are waiting for a response from the board and that is why the Mayor says we have to address the matter urgently. So until then you can’t cease operations because something has to come from the board. There are many things you look on, many things you have to address. There is a law in place, many things you have to deal with, and hence the reason why we have to address those issues urgently. You can’t just shut down a business like that. There has to be some reason or fundamental cause why you are closing down a business or you can be challenged in the court. The board has to be very careful and that is why we are based on recommendations from the expert.”

The Department of Environment has stated that it cannot recommend nor endorse the three LPG fuel depots because they are extremely close to residences, schools and churches. The National Fire Service has stated that the location of Brown’s Butane is not suitable; it is crammed in a highly populated neighbourhood on a small property which also houses a Laundromat and there is no room for adjustment and expansion.

The review also concludes that Philip Neal and Sons Butane service location is also not suitable for its product being distributed in a populated neighbourhood and there is no room for expansion. And the same for Southside butane whose location again was judged to be unsuitable for the product being distribute due to its close proximity to a church, school and residences.

Zenaida Moya Flowers,
“They were informed what we wanted them to do in terms of starting their relocation and informed that they were not meeting the standards and as was mentioned two of them have no room to expand and so all of these were brought up to these entities, you can go back and see the exact date when we met and there were certain requirements.”

Philip Willoughby, Member – Belize Trade License Board
“The board will meet and we will take a decision and the decision taken by the board will be based on the information found by the agencies.”

Zenaida Moya Flowers,
“If they really wanted to ensure the safety of the residents and continue their business, they would have at least tried to relocate.”

Andrew Flowers, the owner of Southside Butane Depot says if his business is not suitable to operate from its present location he asks why was he given a license to do so?

Andrew Flowers, Owner - Southside Butane Depot
“Well first of all before I started operating my depot here, I got approval from the Fire Department, the Environmental Department, the City Council, and lastly the Department of Defense. All of these people gave me an approval so to come and say now that I will close you down because you are not safe then why did they approve my license.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“And when was that license approved?”

Andrew Flowers,
“It was approved about three and a half years ago.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“So if the decision is made to have you relocated to where they would consider is a safe environment for which to operate, what would be your move?”

Andrew Flowers,
“Well if they are going to relocate me then all of this comes with a consequence. I have nowhere to go. You are going to put me in a proper place, good business like here, then fine. In violation of what act? I am operating under no violation. From the very first day I began to operate my depot I had a license. The last time they came to me, this is what I want you to do, I want you to put up a firewall and when you’re finished with the firewall I will reconsider you.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“And where is the firewall?”

Andrew Flowers,
“It is working in progress.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“You are saying if they come after you, they should go after every other establishment where the same danger exists?”

Andrew Flowers,
“That is correct. If they come after me, they must remember that they must go after all these major hotels that are operating with the same LPG gas and some of these hotels are operating with more fuel than I am using here and the consequences are much explosive because they are operating from a tank to an open flame and that is a much more dangerous situation than butane depots in the city.”

The Belize Trade Licensing Board will meet either on Thursday or Friday to discuss what plan of action will be taken. Jacqueline Godwin reporting for 7News.