Firefighting Activity Winding Down After Tent Warehouse Blaze

Albuquerque –

Firefighting activity is winding down at 303 Arvada Ave NW after a large commercial structure fire broke out Wednesday around 2 PM. Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) crews remained on fire watch overnight, with one engine still on scene Thursday morning to monitor conditions.

According to AFR, an interior collapse of the building’s mezzanine has made it difficult for firefighters to reach hot spots and smoldering debris. The department says a full event summary will be released once all operations conclude.

The fire occurred at AA Events and Tents, formerly known at Garcia’s Tents. The building is marked with “Garcia’s Tents” on one side, while the other side reads “AA Tents.” AFR crews responded on Wednesday to reports of heavy flames, thick smoke, and limited ladder access due to the structure’s height.

During firefighting operations, one fire crew had to evacuate the building after firefighters became disoriented by the intense heat and heavy smoke. Additional AFR crews and resources were staged nearby at the Mister Carwash on 4th near Arvada, ready to assist or relieve firefighters on the scene.

As firefighters responded to the blaze, company management confirmed to AFR that all employees had evacuated from the structure and were accounted for. Initial reports indicated that two people were injured during the incident.

During a press conference Wednesday afternoon around 4 PM, AFR Public Information Officer Lt. Jason Fejer confirmed that the injuries involved civilians. The extent of their injuries has not yet been released.

Additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

UPDATE:

On October 30th at 5:05 PM, AFR issued the following event summary:

Arvada Event Summary:

On October 29, 2025, just after 2:00 pm, AFR was dispatched to 303 Arvada NW for a 69D-3, commercial structure fire. Engine 4 arrived to heavy smoke showing from all sides of a large, single story commercial building. Arriving crews stretched multiple lines to the interior for fire control and search. Two civilians were located outside the structure that had sustained injuries from the fire. Both were treated and transported to the hospital.

Zero visibility, high heat, the large structure and layout of the warehouse led to a firefighter being separated from their crew along with reports of low air and disoriented crews. Due to deteriorating conditions a call was made to account for all crew members and evacuate the structure. All firefighters exited the structure and all firefighters were accounted for. The fire attack strategy switched from offensive to defensive operations and a second alarm was dispatched. Multiple master streams and multiple cuts into the structure were required to get the fire under control. Crews remained on scene through the night and today to monitor hotspots and conditions. A mezzanine on the interior of the structure collapsed making smoldering fires difficult to access and creating dangerous/unstable conditions for full extinguishment. The fire has now been fully extinguished and building has been turned over to the property owner.

The fire originated inside the structure and appeared to be related to occupational activities. The fire has been classified as accidental.