Latest news with #Fejer
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
AFR: Explosion and fires send 2 people to the hospital
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Wednesday night, a home is left in shambles with pieces of it strewn across a northeast Albuquerque neighborhood. Firefighters said fireworks caused a home to explode, leaving two people injured near Eubank Blvd. and Menaul Blvd. 'You can feel the heat from here,' said Jay Kruger in a Tik Tok video as a loud popping sound could be heard. Story continues below Crime: Albuquerque police: Child exploitation sting was a success Trending: Poll: What is the strangest town name in New Mexico? News: How could New Mexico schools be impacted by withholding of federal funds? Wildfire: Couple loses home to Trout Fire burning in the Gila National Forest The call to Albuquerque Fire and Rescue first came in around 1:30 Wednesday afternoon. Black smoke filled the air along Woodland Ave. 'It does appear at this time fireworks were the culprit of this explosion,' said Lt. Jason Fejer, Albuquerque Fire Rescue. 'Oh it's going down,' said Kruger, as the popping noise continued, sounding like fireworks being set off. AFR said the fire destroyed the home where it started and burned the wall of a neighboring home. The explosion that caused the fire charred two vehicles in front of the home, which AFR said is a total loss. The neighboring home, suffered heavy damage mostly from smoke but also flames. While two people were taken to the hospital for burns, AFR said all of their fire fighters are okay. 'The size of this would indicate that these are not recreational fireworks sold at the local vendors,' said Lt. Fejer. Throughout the day neighbors and residents tried to get a glimpse to see if their home is okay. And while most were relieved to find out their homes weren't damaged, it was a different story for Holly Summers. 'I got a call that my neighbor's house was on fire and that my house might be in danger,' said Holly Summers, owner of the neighboring home damaged in the explosion. Summers said she didn't have time to think about her home, she was worried about her dogs in the backyard. 'So I rushed home to get them inside and then found out my house was burned and the explosion was super loud and it scared them.' While she was able to find one of her dogs, the other is still missing. 'She's probably just really terrified. She could have run in any direction from Eubank and Menaul area,' said Summer. Summers is asking everyone to be on the lookout for her white and brindle terrier, Ursy, and if you see her call 311. AFR said they will be working with APD's bomb squad and possibly federal agencies to confirm the cause of explosion and who may be at fault. 'To have a fire of this magnitude a couple days before the Fourth of July is concerning to say the least,' said Lt. Fejer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
How will Albuquerque firefighters battle EV fires?
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Car fires are one of the most common calls that the men and women of Albuquerque Fire Rescue respond to. While the department deals with vehicle fires every single day, they have yet to encounter an electric vehicle fire in Albuquerque. As EVs continue to grow in popularity, Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) acknowledges that it's only a matter of time before they face one in the Duke City, and they know it will require a different approach. Story continues below Job News: NM proposes rule aimed at preventing heat illness for workers Poll Results: Where is the best place to go fishing in New Mexico? Don't Miss: One man's journey out of the juvenile justice system to mentorship 'Just having these crews trained to recognize an EV or a hybrid vehicle versus a typical internal combustion engine vehicle and approaching them a little differently is crucial,' Lieutenant Jason Fejer explained. This different approach is necessary because of the lithium-ion batteries found in EVs. 'People are reporting that to extinguish some of these electric vehicle fires, it can take tens of thousands of gallons of water,' said Lt. Fejer. So, how do you put out a lithium battery fire without using excessive amounts of water? The answer is a specialized fire blanket. The blanket is not meant to smother the flames, but AFR states it works effectively on EVs just as it does on gas-powered cars. 'When these batteries start off-gassing, they produce a gas that's flammable. So, if we can keep that gas from igniting and slow down the burning process around the battery pack, it helps to mitigate the situation.' Just like with gas vehicles, the department emphasizes the importance of proper maintenance and monitoring of car battery packs. While AFR remains alert for EV battery fires, the most common lithium battery incidents they currently respond to are linked to power sources in phones, laptops, and tablets. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘The platform has become obsolete': Albuquerque Fire Rescue ditches PulsePoint app
**Editor's note: The video above is part of separate related coverage on heart disease. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An app that notifies CPR-trained citizens that someone nearby is experiencing a cardiac emergency, in hopes that the trained individual would respond and provide life-saving care, is no longer being used by Albuquerque Fire Rescue. AFR announced that it has decided not to renew its paid subscription to the app PulsePoint, saying it has become 'obsolete.' In addition to cardiac emergencies, the PulsePoint app displays information about other types of calls firefighters and/or EMTs are dispatched to, such as fires, crashes, hazmat incidents, alarms, medical emergencies, and more. Users also could see the exact address crews were dispatched to, which AFR said is a privacy issue. 'Members of the public were not using it to respond to provide bystander CPR,' AFR Lt. Jason Fejer wrote in an email to KRQE. Bernalillo County installs speed cameras on some state roads According to Fejer, in the 10 years that AFR has utilized PulsePoint, the department is only aware of two instances of bystanders reporting to on-scene crews that they were notified via PulsePoint. If someone should need help in a cardiac emergency, Fejer said AFR dispatchers can coach members of the public on how to perform CPR over the phone. He also said AFR's use of the 'GoodSAM' platform allows dispatchers to do a video call with 911 callers to help instruct them on how to perform CPR. AFR is hoping to use the $13,000 it set aside for PulsePoint each year for community training. 'AFR determined the funding would be better served to enhance our Lifesaver program which teaches members of the public how to perform hands only CPR, naloxone administration, and bleeding control,' Fejer stated. According to a post by AFR on Facebook, the department is looking into other options for the media and the public to follow AFR's responses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fire at New Mexico GOP headquarters under investigation as arson
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A fire that damaged the entryway to the New Mexico Republican Party headquarters in Albuquerque is being investigated as arson, a fire official said Monday. No suspect has been named in the Sunday morning blaze that's under investigation by local authorities, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Incendiary materials were found on the scene, according to an ATF spokesperson. Spray paint on the side of the building read 'ICE=KKK,' said Lt. Jason Fejer with Albuquerque Fire Rescue. Fejer said federal officials were taking over the arson investigation. Republican leaders described the fire as a deliberate attack. The building had extensive smoke damage, which Republican party spokesperson Ash Soular said left the offices uninhabitable. Surveillance video from the inside the building captured images of the fire, Soular said. She declined Monday morning to give further details and said law enforcement asked the party not to release the video or discuss its contents in detail. State Republican leaders planned a news conference Monday afternoon to address the fire and other damage. The weekend fire followed vandalism across the U.S. in recent weeks targeting dealerships for Tesla, the electric car company owned by Elon Musk, who is leading Republican President Donald Trump's efforts to slash the federal workforce. Trump has also sought to ramp up deportation efforts against people living in the country illegally, led by agents at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, a Democrat, said in response to the GOP headquarters fire that 'politically motivated crimes of any kind are unacceptable.'
Associated Press
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Fire at New Mexico GOP headquarters under investigation as arson
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A fire that damaged the entryway to the New Mexico Republican Party headquarters in Albuquerque is being investigated as arson, a fire official said Monday. No suspect has been named in the Sunday morning blaze that's under investigation by local authorities, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Incendiary materials were found on the scene, according to an ATF spokesperson. Spray paint on the side of the building read 'ICE=KKK,' said Lt. Jason Fejer with Albuquerque Fire Rescue. Fejer said federal officials were taking over the arson investigation. Republican leaders described the fire as a deliberate attack. The building had extensive smoke damage, which Republican party spokesperson Ash Soular said left the offices uninhabitable. Surveillance video from the inside the building captured images of the fire, Soular said. She declined Monday morning to give further details and said law enforcement asked the party not to release the video or discuss its contents in detail. The weekend fire followed vandalism across the U.S. in recent weeks targeting dealerships for Tesla, the electric car company owned by Elon Musk, who is leading Republican President Donald Trump's efforts to slash the federal workforce. Trump has also sought to ramp up deportation efforts against people living in the country illegally, led by agents at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, a Democrat, said in response to the GOP headquarters fire that 'politically motivated crimes of any kind are unacceptable.'
