Arson suspected in fire
Woman, 5 children escape blaze without injury

ABOVE: Joel Estrada covers his nose while near a fire scene in Gamerco Thursday morning. The fire gutted a home that was declared a complete loss. BELOW: A fire fighter extinguishes hotspots after a fire completely gutted a home. in Gamerco Thursday morning. [photos by Daniel Zollinger / Independent]

By Leslie Wood
Staff writer

GALLUP — The state fire marshal’s office is investigating a fire that destroyed a Ray Street residence Thursday morning.

A charred frame is all that remains of the mobile home at 800 Ray St. after a blaze burned through the residence at about 10:30 a.m.

Fortunately, the homeowner Vera Robeson and her five children, who range in age from 8 months to 8 years old, escaped the fire without injuries.

Sgt. Albert Benally, an investigator for the McKinley County Sheriff’s Department, said Robeson and a few of the children were inside the residence at the onset of the blaze while the others were outside playing.

Benally said the investigation into the cause of the blaze is ongoing and that faulty wiring, human error and arson are all a possibility.

State Fire Marshal investigators arrived at the location from Santa Fe Thursday afternoon to begin their inquiry.

Meanwhile, sheriff’s deputies stood guard at the residence to prevent anyone without the appropriate credentials from entering the scene.

“We’re trying to figure out whether the fire was intentional or unintentional,” Benally said.

Benally said firefighters had to extinguish a few hot spots that reignited at the scene Thursday afternoon.

Both county and city firefighters initially responded to the blaze.