The Paper. — The Independence Day holiday always keeps Albuquerque firefighters on their toes. Last year, the city’s Fire and Rescue Department spent the days before the holiday responding to a house explosion linked to a large illegal fireworks stash that killed a homeowner and injured two others in the Northeast Heights. This year, they charged another man with illegally stashing fireworks in his home and firefighters working a brush fire in the bosque found a dead body while putting out the blaze.
According to the Albuquerque Fire and Rescue Department, fire investigators and police went undercover to purchase fireworks from a local man after receiving a tip that he was hoarding them in his home for resale. That helped investigators obtain a search warrant for a residence where they discovered a large quantity of fireworks they say were illegal. Court documents were not immediately available on Monday, but APD says the man now faces several charges relating to the illegal possession, storage and sale of fireworks. The Paper. does not name persons accused of crimes pending trial or plea. “Illegal fireworks aren’t just against the law—they’re unpredictable, highly explosive, and can cause catastrophic fires, serious injuries, and even death. Selling large quantities of these fireworks puts entire neighborhoods at risk,” APD said in a statement”
Meanwhile on July 4th, firefighters responding to a brush fire in the bosque near Tingley Drive found more than they expected. “One individual was found deceased on the fire’s edge however this did not seem to be associated with fire,” the incident commander shared in an email to city officials. “APD officers, AFR investigators, and crime scene technicians were on scene conducting their own investigation.”
AFR also extinguished a small brush fire near the Elena Gallegos open space. Overall, the city received 877 calls for fireworks in the city, though officials say many were believed to be duplicates for the same incidents. Nonetheless, some calls did generate enforcement actions. The Fire Marshal’s Office personnel issued 62 Cease and Desist Orders on the 4th, bringing the 2026 total to 109, say AFR.