On the evening of April 9, 2026, a 39-year-old Hattieville resident and mother, Therese Jacobs, is left homeless and heartbroken after an out-of-control blaze destroyed her property, reducing a lifetime of hard work and treasured personal memories to ash and charred debris. What makes the devastating loss even more wrenching for Jacobs is her growing conviction that the fire was no accident – but instead the result of deliberate foul play tied to a long-running family conflict over her land and home.
When the fire broke out, Jacobs was hundreds of miles away working a shift in Punta Negra, far from the property she spent decades building. She received a frantic phone call from a neighbor alerting her that her home was fully engulfed in flames. By the time first responders could reach the scene and bring the blaze under control, nothing was salvageable. Among the losses are not just personal belongings and family keepsakes, but also inventory Jacobs had spent months collecting to open a small community store serving her village – a dream that has gone up in smoke along with her home.
In an emotional interview with local outlet News Five, Jacobs described the gut-wrenching impact of the loss. “I work hard for my home, laboring for years to build a place of my own. I had everything I needed, and more, because I’ve spent years helping other people in this community,” she shared. “I had whole barrels of merchandise ready to open a small store for the village, and all of it is gone. When I got the call that my house was burning to the ground, I couldn’t even process it. Now I can’t stop crying, because there’s nothing I can do to fix this. It feels like someone reached right into my chest and ripped my heart out.”
Jacobs told investigators that she rules out accidental causes for the fire, pointing to checks she had already completed on her home’s electrical system. The young certified technician she had allowed to stay at the property in her absence reported receiving threats shortly before the fire, she says. The threats, tied to an ongoing dispute over ownership of the land her home sits on, included warnings that he needed to leave the property because it belonged to another family member.
Long before the fire, Jacobs added, she had noticed suspicious activity around her home that she now believes was connected to the dispute. “Before I left, I kept hearing odd noises near my electric meter, and I could tell someone had been tampering with it for weeks,” she explained. “That same person that’s been claiming the land is the one I suspect was behind it.”
Now, with only a small handful of the clothes she was wearing when she got the call, Jacobs is struggling to process her grief and begin the process of rebuilding. She told reporters that the stress of the loss has already begun to impact her physical health, but she is holding out hope that she can rebuild with community support – and that police will uncover the truth about what caused the fire.
“I’m tired, I’m really tired, and I can feel this stress making me sick,” Jacobs said. “But I’m trying to stay calm, because I know God is in control. Still, losing everything you’ve worked for your whole life? It hurts more than I can put into words.”
Jacobs is now publicly appealing to members of the public and local community for any support they can offer as she starts over from nothing. So far, only a small number of local residents have stepped forward to donate clothing, and she still lacks housing, furniture, basic household supplies, and funds to restart her life. “I need help, that’s all I’m asking for,” she said. “I only have about 10 pieces of clothing with me right now, that’s all I have left. I just need any help the community can give.”
As of Tuesday evening, Belizean police have not officially confirmed the cause of the fire, and a full arson investigation remains ongoing. Law enforcement officials have not named any suspects in connection with the blaze. Community organizations have encouraged any individuals or groups willing to donate goods, funds, or support to Jacobs to reach out to local News Five studios for contact information, as she begins what will be a long road to recovery.