The City of Moriarty Fire Department and Torrance County Fire Department have already had a busy 2024 fire season. Last week firefighters and EMS put out three structure fires in a seven-day period that left two people dead and several acres of land burned.
Around 10:30 am on April 17, Moriarty and Torrance County fire departments responded to a wreck at I-40 mile marker 199 involving a semi-truck and an RV towing an SUV that caused the closure of the eastbound lanes of the interstate for several hours. The crash caused a vehicle fire, a grass fire and made clouds of black smoke that could be seen for miles. The driver of the SUV died in the fire and a female passenger was taken to an Albuquerque hospital in critical condition. What do we know about the person who died?
In the afternoon of April 15, firefighters from Moriarty and Torrance County began work to contain the Welding Fire which burned 10 acres of grass around Route 66 and Martin Rd. in Moriarty. Several storage units and their contents sustained minor to moderate fire damage. No firefighters, law enforcement, or civilians were injured. At this time the cause of the Welding Fire is still undetermined.
Around 3 am on April 13, Moriarity Fire crews fought a blaze at the Villa Encantada sub-division that left one person dead. A one-story single-family home was burned and no injuries to law enforcement or firefighters were reported. This fire is still under investigation by the New Mexico State Fire Marshal’s Office.