7 News Belize

Freak Oven Explosion Kills Baker
posted (January 26, 2018)
A 59 year old father of 3 was killed in a freak accident at a Sandhill bakery. This morning after 8:00, the Moralez's were at their 'In and Out' bakery preparing the kitchen for another baking week when the stove exploded - killing Alfonso Moralez Jr. We went to Sandhill to find out what caused this deadly bang.

Courtney Weatherburne reporting
The Moralez family opened the 'IN N OUT' Bakery in Sandhill about 6 years ago. Almost every day, the workers would wake up early to start baking primarily for the British Army Training Support Unit (BATSUB) in Ladyville. But this morning, instead of the warm and pleasant aroma of freshly baked bread, the heavy scent of butane lingered in the air.

Vanecia Gongora, Neighbor
"We were upstairs in my house, I was on my phone and my daughter was on the floor playing and we heard something like it explode but we didn't know what it was so she jumped and she said mommy what is that, and I asked her what did you hear and she said something went BOOM, BOOM."

That loud noise came from the bakery. According to Maria White, they were not baking today, but she had called her brother Alberto Moralez Sr. to check the stove- it hadn't been working properly. But something went terribly wrong.

Maria White, Sister
"This morning I just tell my brother Alberto if he could check the oven because last week it came on but it wasn't baking, it didn't brown the bread he came in and he is checking it and my other brother just came and he stood up at the side and I am in the middle and my other brother Alberto was on the other side."

"The oven is just a switch, all you put on is the switch. Alberto put it on."

"The oven have the door, I back off two time and I just hear the Voop! And when I hear the voop the door, one slam on Alfonso and he was on the ground, it hit his head, it didn't burst his head then when I see Alberto he was bleeding so I get the water, pour it on Alfonso and he isn't responding and I am talking to him and I just see his mouth the move but I no hear nothing."

Alfonso Moralez Jr. - the brother who was standing by to help - was struck in the head with the oven door. He died an hour later at the BATSUB clinic.

While his brother, Alberto Moralez Sr. survived the blow to the head. He is recovering at Universal HealthCare Partners in Belize City.

It was a terrible accident that no one could have predicted. Now the familial joy that once shrouded the bakery.

May never be restored.

Maria White, Sister
"It will be really hard, you know it is scary now to be at the bakery and work after what happened today."

"The bakery is for Alberto, I am working with them so it's really hard on me to lose one of my loved ones and the other one get hurt but I believe it is time to serve the almighty God, we can't question God, God knows best."

Alberto Sr., the brother who survived, had to get 17 stitches in his head. The family says he will be fine. Fire officials say that they haven't done their investigation as yet so they will return to the site this weekend.

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