Cause of Massive Fire in Albuquerque, NM, Under Investigation
Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
(TNS)
May 14—Left in the aftermath of a hellacious fire in an industrial area off Interstate 25 in Albuquerque are the husks of scorched vehicles, mobile homes and charred pallets.
The cause of the fire, which sparked Tuesday at a property east of Comanche and Edith NE, was still under investigation, Albuquerque Fire Rescue spokesperson Lt. Jason Fejer said Wednesday.
For a few hours on Tuesday, traffic crawled through I-25 construction as plumes of flames and black smoke clashed with blue skies. People stood against nearby fences, taking photos and videos of the apocalyptic scene. As the curious bystanders watched, firefighters battled the towering flames, getting the blaze under control just after dusk.
At about 5:30 p.m., AFR and Bernalillo County Fire Rescue got the call of a stack of pallets on fire on a property in the 800 block of Nikanda, Fejer said. The fire quickly spread to nearby vehicles and structures, with help from gusty winds.
As the flames covered more ground, bystanders and nearby residents were told to evacuate as the sounds of "loud pops" rang out. The fire was brought under control after two hours, according to an AFR social media post.
But much damage was done. Fejer said the flames destroyed two mobile homes, two semi-trailers, 20 vehicles and numerous stacked pallets. Fejer did not have the names of the businesses struck by the fire.
The property owner was injured in the blaze, Fejer said. Along with the city and county fire departments, the New Mexico State Fire Marshal and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the incident.
© 2025 the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.). Visit www.abqjournal.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
