Late Night Fire Destroys Duplex and Results in Fatality

By Marty Mayfield

KRTN Multi-Media

It was an all-hands-on deck late Friday night call as reports of an explosion began to inundate Raton Dispatch at 11:11 p.m.

The incident occurred in a duplex housing unit at 610/612 Sugarite Ave. Upon arrival, Raton Fire and Colfax County Rapid Response found the structure fully involved. Raton PD quickly helped isolate the area as firemen worked to get the blaze under control.

Both housing units were occupied at the time of the explosion. An elderly female that occupied the one unit was able to get out with only minor injuries. Once the blaze was knocked down fire fighters entered the structure and discovered a body. The Office of the Medical Investigator was called, and the body was later taken by Alderette Pomeroy Funeral Home and was transported to the OMI office in Albuquerque for autopsy. The deceased individual has been identified as Joe A Medina.

According to Raton Police Chief John Garcia a search warrant was secured for the State Fire Marshall’s Office to come in and investigate since this fire included a fatality. The incident is still under investigation by the State Fire Marshall’s Office, and no cause has been determined.