Incident occurred in Mossman

One person died June 7 in a Gallup house fire. Officials say the incident looks like an accident that does not involve foul play.

Gallup Fire Marshal Jesus Morales said firefighters responded to a back-room fire at 506 Julie Drive in Mossman. He said firefighters responded quickly, adding that the blaze was put out in a matter of minutes.

“That’s about all I can say at this point,” Morales said. “The matter was turned over to the police department due to the fact that there was a dead body found inside the home.”

Morales, who was part of the response team on the scene, said a middle-aged woman was found in a back room of the house near the location of the fire. He did not give the name of the female.

Because the situation was related to a death, the Gallup Police Department officers were on the scene and recorded an official report. Morales referred information on the incident to police officials.

According to a report, as soon as GPD Officer Matthew Graham arrived on the scene, he was told by neighbors that a female lived in the house and was believed to be inside at the time of the fire.

“I was told that the female that lives in the residence was nowhere to be found,” Graham wrote. “I was advised that the smoke was coming from the back room and that they [neighbors] weren’t able to get in that room.”

Graham noted in the police report that a man at the site of the fire was also residing in the home. GPD Capt. Miranda Spencer said an autopsy came back and there were no signs of foul play. Spencer did not state the official cause of death.

By Bernie Dotson
Sun Correspondent