The Belize government says it is seeking legal advice to determine who should be held responsible for the death of a 25-year-old welder last weekend after a “training bomb” he thought was a decoration, exploded.
Jose Valencia,25, had been hired to weld two hooks onto the side of what he was told were decorative training bombs. Valencia had been hired by former parliamentary representative for the San Jose Nuevo Palmar Village, northwest of here, Dave Burgos, to weld the hooks.
However, the bomb was not just for decoration and proved to be extremely deadly when it was set off while Valencia was carrying out his work.
Home Affairs Minister, Kareem Musa, said the police are combing through Belize’s laws to determine what, if any, charges can be levied. He is also questioning whether the British military will take any responsibility for leaving behind these deadly devices in Belize.
“That is something that we will have to get legal guidance on in terms of responsibility, how it is that Mr. Burgos even came into possession of these things. Because like I mentioned and as it turns out, extremely dangerous to have in your possession, something like that. So we will have to look at the legal options,” Musa said.
The government had earlier issued a statement indicating that an unexploded and exploded ordnance (UXO) found last week in San Jose Nuevo Palmar Village was a “training bomb” and that the general area was once used as a training ground, “and therefore, similar findings may occur”.
It said that the UXO was identified as a MK1, General Purpose Medium Capacity/ Aircraft Bomb and that it was “confirmed to be a training bomb.
“These MK1 General Purpose Medium Capacity Bombs are typically armed with TNT; however, this particular training bomb contained only a “spotting charge.” This charge serves as an exploder, producing a small explosion to mark the point of impact during training exercises,” the Ministry of National Defence and Border Security said.
Assistant Superintendent of Police, Stacy Smith, said that the police department in connection with the Belize Defense Force (BDF) “who is the primary experts as it relates to identifying and categorizing what exactly the device is are in dialogue and we are reviewing the Dangerous Goods Act to the 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…and that will be forwarded to the office of the DPP for the directives there from,” she added.
Media reports said that Burgos had three bombs in his possession and following the explosion, members of the BDF were able to safely defused the other two.
Burgos said he thought they were harmless training props meant for decoration.
The ministry said that the explosion caused by the UXO created a crater measuring approximately three feet wide and two inches deep.
“The Ministry wishes to advise the public that this general area was once used as a training ground, and therefore, similar findings may occur.”
The ministry said that the BDF Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team, which serves as the national expert authority in such matters, emphasises that “if any person encounters a suspected UXO, do not touch, move, or tamper with it, immediately report the finding to the Belize Defence Force so that the ordnance can be safely disarmed and removed”. (CMC)
