A Moriarty home caught on fire on Dec. 25 with an unidentified cause. The outburst began at a neighboring RV parked just outside the house that quickly spread to Jeremiah Baca’s home.
Authorities have yet to determine the cause for the fire near Indian Hills Road and Lexco Road.
Although the individuals were home, the family dog Lucy alerted them of the fire and helped them escape unharmed.
Lucy tragically died in the fire, but all of their other pets were saved.
Emergency services received the call at 9:37 a.m. According to the City of Moriarty Fire Department, their team responded to the fire at approximately 9:50 a.m. and provided mutual aid to the Torrance County Fire Department.
Due to signs of structural damage, firefighters fought through a defensive strategy and extinguished the fire near 1:22 p.m. without any reported injuries.
Law enforcement, emergency management, utility companies and the American Red Cross assisted the fire department at the scene.
At this time, Baca and his mother, Debi Lopez, hope to rebuild their home with the help of the East Mountain community.
“She is a great woman. She used to help out the East Mountain community a lot, and even here in Albuquerque,” Casey Porter Jaramillo, Lopez’s sister-in-law, said of Lopez.
The community’s support is vital to their reconstruction plans, and their loved ones have created a GoFundMe page that has been shared through social media.
The fundraising page was organized by Kristy Merl, Lopez’s daughter-in-law, who seeks the support of anyone who could either donate or simply share their story.
The goal is for the page to reach more community members who are willing to help them get back on their feet and uplift their spirits in this difficult time.
“It was a huge tragedy and we would appreciate any help to try to help them rebuild their lives and try to repatch their hope and faith,” Merl wrote in the fundraising description. “Any donations would be appreciated and if you are unable to, just spreading the word would help so much.”
As of press time, the GoFundMe has raised $5,202 of its $10,000 goal.