Fire at Burlington Store Quickly Contained; Second Retail Fire in Two Weeks

Albuquerque –

On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at approximately 8:35 PM, Albuquerque Fire Rescue responded to a reported fire at the Burlington Coat Factory located at 3550 NM-528.

Upon arrival, AFR crews located a small fire inside a janitor’s closet at the rear of the store. An automatic sprinkler head in the closet had activated, effectively controlling the fire, which involved clothing and cleaning supplies. Firefighters quickly extinguished the remaining flames using water cans. While doing so, firefighters simultaneously conducted a search of the store, evacuated any remaining employees and customers, and brought the fire under control within 10 minutes of arrival. The building’s fire alarm system was also active when units arrived.

Damage was confined to the janitor’s closet, with minor smoke spreading throughout the large store. Fire crews used electric fans to ventilate and remove residual smoke from the building. There were no injuries reported among civilians or firefighters. Adjacent stores were unaffected by fire, smoke, or any activation of their fire protection systems.

Fire Investigators responded to determine the fire’s origin and cause, and to follow up on reports from witnesses suggesting the fire may have been intentionally set. AFR’s Fire Marshal’s Office (FMO) also responded to assist store management with procedures for restoring the sprinkler and fire alarm systems.

As part of the ongoing investigation, AFR Fire Investigators are working in coordination with Albuquerque Police Department and Burlington loss prevention personnel to identify the suspect. Preliminary findings indicate the suspect in this incident is different from the individual involved in the September 18th fire at the Marshall’s store.

At this time, the two incidents appear to be unrelated. Investigators continue efforts to identify the person of interest in the Burlington case. No additional information is available currently, and updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.

As of this posting, neither AFR nor APD has disclosed the identity of the suspect accused of igniting the fire at the Burlington store to the media.

Police are reportedly still searching for arsonist that burned the Marshalls on Montgomery. That arsonist has been identified as Nathan Castillo. If you know where Castillo is, call CrimeStoppers at (505) 843-7867 or you can remain anonymous by going to p3tips.com/531.

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