A 25-year-old welder, Jose Valencia was instantly killed while installing an old military training bomb as a decorative piece at a residence in San Jose Palmar Village.

By Charles Gladden

ORANGE WALK, Mon. Oct. 6, 2025

   A massive explosion that occurred in the San Jose Palmar Village, Orange Walk, has led to the death of a 25-year-old welder, as he was installing an old military training bomb, described as an Unexploded & Exploded Ordnance (UXO), as a decorative piece at the residence of former PUP area representative, 59-year-old Dave Burgos.

   The deceased, Jose Valencia, was tasked with installing three UXOs at Burgos’ home as ornaments on Saturday, October 4. Valencia was conducting the task around 4:00 p.m. and was welding metal hooks into one of the bombs, which could have been mounted, when it exploded, killing him instantly.

   “We thought it was a gas tank or something. Only my little brother and I were home, and I hoped nobody got hurt, not knowing it was my brother … we didn’t get an explanation. They didn’t tell my mom anything about my brother. It was just said that they knew it was my brother, but we have nothing. We have no other information; nothing was told to us,” said Sarah Valencia, sister of the deceased.

   The UXO was later confirmed as: MK1, General Purpose Medium Capacity/ Aircraft Bomb, for military training, 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.

   An explosion from one can cause a crater measuring approximately three feet wide and two inches deep.

   “It was strong; you could have heard everything. The house trembled, the zinc, everything, it was just a horrible feeling,” Sarah Valencia described.

   The deceased, Jose Valencia, had been employed as a welder for over a year, and was described as a hardworking individual, as he is the sole provider of a two-year-old girl.

   “He has to earn money for his daughter. It was Saturday, and he was ready to come home to his daughter, but he didn’t get to do that … He was a role model. He was more of a father to me than a brother. He was always someone who would tell you to behave well. He could do something good, not be bad to people, and he would always be here. Anyone who knows him would know he would always be hardworking. He tells him you have a little job, it doesn’t matter if it’s shopping, if it’s welding, if it’s fixing up, picking up garbage, he would do it. He never says no to anybody,” Sarah Valencia said.

   The additional two UXOs were of the same type and were found at Burgos’ home, and were removed by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team of the Belize Defence Force (BDF).

   It has been reported that Burgos received those UXOs from an individual from Carmelita Village as payment. Additional reports suggest that similar types of military weapons can be found in Orange Walk as remnants of a live-fire training range for the British military.