Two Abandoned Buildings Burn in Back-to-Back Fires

Albuquerque –

On Thursday, May 15, 2025, at approximately 11:30 PM, Albuquerque Fire Rescue units were dispatched to 3917 4th Street NW for a reported structure fire. Upon arrival, fire crews from Engine 6 found heavy fire showing from the rear of a small, single-story commercial structure. The building was abandoned, boarded up, and not in active use.

An initial fire attack was launched at the rear of the structure, where heavy smoke and fire were venting through the roof. Once a stationary Incident Command was established, operations were shifted to a defensive strategy, with crews utilizing ground monitors through rear openings.

As fire conditions worsened and the roof became fully involved, aerial master streams were deployed from two ladder trucks. The fire was brought under control approximately one hour into the incident.

The structure is a total loss, with partial wall collapses on the north and west exposures, and a complete roof collapse into the interior. The cause of the fire remains undetermined at this time. AFR personnel will maintain a fire watch until all hot spots are fully extinguished.

Fire investigators were scheduled to return to the scene this morning to determine origin and cause. No firefighter injuries were reported. There is no further information available at this time.

This is the second commercial fire in this vicinity (~130ft) in less than 26 hours. On Wednesday, May 14, at approximately 10:00 PM, Albuquerque Fire Rescue was dispatched to 3923 4th Street NW for a reported structure fire. The first-arriving AFR unit reported a working fire in an abandoned structure.

Crews initiated a quick interior attack and brought the fire under control within 15 minutes of arrival. While the structure sustained damage, it is not considered a total loss.

No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported. The cause of the fire remains undetermined at this time. There is no additional information available.

Additionally, on Friday, April 11, 2025, at approximately 1:15 AM, Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) was also dispatched to 3923 4th Street NW for reports of a commercial structure fire.

Upon arrival, fire crews reported a working fire in a small, boarded-up commercial structure not in active use. Crews initiated an interior fire attack and gained control of the fire within 15 minutes.

There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters. A total of 14 AFR units responded to fully extinguish the fire and assist in the investigation. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

In April, AFR made mention that once fire investigators had completed their on-scene assessment, the structure will be secured by Code Enforcement.