Behind Quarter’s restaurant on the corner of Avenida Cesar Chavez and Yale Blvd. a storage shed exploded, sparking a fire that damaged nearby buildings Thursday evening, according to Albuquerque Fire Department Commander Kerry Horton.
Dan Harmeyer, who was working in an office building in front of the shed at the time of the explosion, said he heard a loud boom and saw dry wall flying before running out of the building to call 911.
“The storage shed back there just blew up. It was the loudest boom and I just got out of there as fast as I could,” Harmeyer said.
Fire Commander Kerry Horton said that no one was injured in the explosion, and he does not know what the cause was. He said that once the flames were under control both the office building and Quarter’s was shut down with no electricity and no entry due mainly to smoke and water damage.
“All I know is that it caught fire. I don’t know why, but I do know that an arson investigation is underway,” Commander Horton said.
An arson investigator was on the scene but was not available for comment.
Connie Nellos, who owns most of the block including the storage shed, the office building, and Quarter’s said he does not know what could have caused the explosion.
“I have no idea. It’s crazy. Whatever it was it just blew the shed door right off its hinges,” Nellos said. “They are investigating and not letting us go in right now, so I don’t know what is going to happen.
Horton confirmed that the fire was completely out and there was no extension of the fire into the surrounding homes.
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