Double Fatal Structure Fire - 02/12/12 - Lee Acres, NM

On February 12th, 2012 at 0439 hours San Juan County (SJCFD) Firefighters were dispatched to 4 County Road 5582 on a report of a structure fire. Reports were coming in from County Fire Dispatch that the structure was fully involved and that people were trapped. Sheriff Deputies arrived on scene and found one of the home’s occupants with burn injuries, then entered the burning structure and rescued two other victims. Incoming fire units were notified that there was one injured patient, and two unconscious and unresponsive victims at the scene.

As SJCFD District 6 (Lee Acres) and Bloomfield, NM firefighters arrived they had their hands full as they started an attempt at the resuscitation of the two victims, as well as initiating the fire attack on the burning building. SJCFD District 8 (Hart Valley) firefighters also started arriving as part of the automatic aid assignment on the initial dispatch. The injured patient was transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, NM. The two victims were eventually pronounced dead at the scene.

Additional resources from SJCFD District 2 (Flora Vista) and the Air Unit from SJCFD District 1 (Kirtland) were also called to the scene. The defensive fire attack resulted in the fire being controlled in approximately 45 minutes. Units continued to work into the late morning hours to mop-up hot spots and overhaul the scene. The incident is being investigated by the San Juan County Fire Investigation Task Force, the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, and the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator.