Behind Quarters restaurant at Avenida Cesar Chavez and Yale Boulevard, a storage shed exploded and 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 drywall 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,” he said.
Horton said no one was injured in the explosion, and the cause of the explosion is unknown. He said that once the flames were under control, both the office building and Quarters were shut down with no electricity and no entry because of smoke and water damage. An arson investigator was on the scene but was not available for comment.
“All I know is that it caught fire. I don’t know why, but I do know that an arson investigation is underway,” Horton said.
Connie Nellos, who owns most of the block, including the storage shed, the office building and Quarters, said he doesn’t know what could have caused the explosion.
“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.
