Two fires under investigation

QCS Staff Photo: Jerrene Bradley

Monday afternoon the fire department was called out to the 1100 block of Monroe for a structure fire.

The Tucumcari Fire Department is investigating two fires causing considerable damage Monday.

In the morning the department was called to a fire at the Terry Turner Building.

Fire trucks arrived to smoke boiling out of the building and quickly went to work. The fire was mainly in the back part of the building and was put out within the hour.

QCS Staff Photo: Jerrene Bradley

Fire fighters had to break out a window of the Terry Turner Building to shovel out yarn and material ignited by the fire.

Brenda Bishop, county extension office said they heard some popping and cracking noises and smoke was coming through heating vents in her office.

She said everyone grabbed their purses, keys and laptops and ran out of the building to safety.

Fire Chief Mike Cherry said the fire appeared to be accidental and did not think that it was electrical.

But Cherry said a fire Laura in the afternoon at an abandoned house was suspicious.

The house is in the 1100 block of Monroe Street.

It took the department just over an hour to get the fire out.

Cherry said the house was abandoned and that there had been traffic in and out and the fire was no accident.