ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) has responded, not once, but three times in just three months to a vacant property in the city for fires.
Now, AFR believes a new city ordinance will help address similar unsafe structures.
Buildings with signs that read “sub-standard” make responding to fires even more dangerous for fire rescue, especially if a structure has caught on fire more than once.
AFR said a property on Thaxton Avenue near Broadway, south of Downtown, has gone up in flames three times since January.
While they’re unsure exactly what the cause was each time, they stated there were people camping on the property.
Due to prior calls to the location, AFR said most of the protective material around some of the buildings has been torn out, which allows the fire to spread much quicker and could collapse the building. This happened after a fire at a Wisconsin St. apartment complex earlier this year.
AFR said a new city ordinance will help address even more unsafe structures throughout the city.
The dwelling structure that went up in flames earlier this year at the Thaxton address did not sustain much damage and did not warrant an emergency demolition.
Since the March 17 fire, code enforcement has reassessed the location. It could be demolished if it meets certain requirements.
Instead of presenting a resolution to condemn a property to city council, those cases are now heard by an independent hearing officer.
