2 children rescued from fire at complex

Arson suspected in afternoon blaze

Police officers and firefighters rescued two young children from a burning apartment complex in northeast Albuquerque late Friday afternoon.

Authorities said the children and another person were treated for smoke inhalation at a local hospital and are expected to be OK. Meanwhile, one person was taken into custody and the fire is being investigated as arson, said officer Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque police spokesman.

A call was made to police at around 4:20 p.m. from a woman at the apartment complex at 6001 Topke NE who said her sister was threatening to set fire to the complex, DeAguero said. Officers arrived shortly after and the building was burning. The residence that burned was one of several complexes on the west side of San Pedro and Topke, which is south of McLeod.

DeAguero said, shortly after arriving, police learned two infants in the building were unaccounted for. Officers and firefighters went into the burning complex and found the children.

“APD immediately ran in and started looking for these

infants,” DeAguero said.

Tom Ruiz, a spokesman for Albuquerque Fire Rescue, said the two children, along with another person, were treated at a local hospital but are expected to be OK. He said the apartment building was a total loss, with 24 units affected. American Red Cross volunteers were at the scene helping 23 displaced residents Friday night, the organization said.

Ruiz said firefighters originally rushed the building to battle the blaze but after 15 minutes determined the building was too dangerous, and firefighters retreated and extinguished the blaze from outside.

DeAguero said one person is in custody. He said officers were holding the person and waiting for on an arson investigator to assist in the investigation.