A wildfire that broke out at a key military ordnance disposal site in Belize’s Mountain Pine Ridge near Baldy Beacon continues to burn, as a former government minister is set to face criminal charges after being caught illegally removing explosive materials from the restricted zone on Thursday.
The incident unfolded during a large-scale unexploded ordnance (UXO) destruction operation led by the Belize Defence Force (BDF) alongside a specialist team from the Organization of American States (OAS). The operation, which targeted more than 1,500 aging and hazardous explosives collected nationwide, was launched as part of a safety crackdown after a 25-year-old welder named Jose Valencia died in an accidental explosion last year.
Baldy Beacon holds the distinction of being the only licensed blast pad in Belize that meets the safety requirements for disposing of this large volume of ordnance. While the operation followed all established safety protocols, Francis Usher, Chief Executive Officer of Belize’s Ministry of National Defence, explained that flying sparks from the controlled explosions ignited small spot fires in the surrounding vegetation. Fanned by strong winds and amid parched, dry conditions across the region, the fire quickly spread beyond the blast pad perimeter.
Emergency responders from the Belize Forestry Department and the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) were activated immediately to contain the blaze, and firefighting resources remain on site to stop the fire from reaching and damaging nearby private and public properties. Despite the ongoing wildfire, operations continued through Thursday, as organizers decided to capitalize on the rare presence of the OAS’s Assistance Program for the Control of Arms and Munitions specialist team to complete the mass disposal effort.
When 90 percent of the stockpiled ordnance had already been destroyed, BDF soldiers patrolling the restricted site made a startling discovery: former Belizean minister Elvin Penner was inside the secured zone, loading unprocessed explosive materials onto his truck. Footage obtained by local outlet News 5 clearly shows Penner’s vehicle loaded with the contraband after soldiers intercepted him. According to Usher, investigators found charging wire, white phosphorus, and a full drum of petroleum in the truck – all core components required to assemble improvised explosive devices.
“Storing these reactive materials next to a flammable petroleum drum could have resulted in a catastrophic accident that would have killed Penner and anyone nearby,” Usher noted. He added that the entire disposal site is a clearly demarcated military exclusion zone, with prominent warning signage posted along the only access road, and multiple public notices had been distributed ahead of the operation warning civilians to stay away. “Entering an active live ordnance disposal zone during operations is an extraordinarily irresponsible act,” Usher emphasized.
Penner has pushed back against the official account, claiming he was only on site to monitor the spreading wildfire. He argues the materials he collected had already been abandoned by the disposal operation, and he only took them to prevent them from being destroyed by the advancing fire. “I never would have touched anything if I didn’t think the fire was going to destroy what the operation left behind,” Penner stated, insisting his only goal was to monitor the fast-moving blaze.
All evidence collected from the incident, including the video footage of the stopped truck, has now been turned over to Belizean law enforcement for formal investigation. Usher said that while official charges have not yet been filed, all indicators point to criminal charges being brought against Penner. “Regardless of the final outcome, Penner’s actions were extremely irresponsible and reckless,” Usher said.