Las Cruces woman struggles after home fire

Nov. 20--LAS CRUCES -- Last Friday, Las Cruces resident Elia C. Lechuga realized toward the end of the business day that time was dwindling for her to pay her electric bill.

As she drove away from her home on Luna Street en route to the local electric company branch, she didn't expect that when she'd return, just 15 minutes later, her property would be in flames.

When Lechuga arrived at El Paso Electric's Solano Drive office, she realized she'd mistakenly grabbed the gas bill instead of her electric bill. And she headed home to get the right one. That's when she saw a huge plume of smoke originating from her neighborhood, not knowing it was her own property ablaze.

Meanwhile, a neighbor of Lechuga's, Margie Rivera, happened to be outside when the fire began. She recalled hearing three large "boom" sounds and almost simultaneously seeing a plume of fire -- and smoke -- erupt from near the back of the home.

"I was about to leave," she said. "That's when the explosions went up."

The high-profile blaze focused upon a metal outdoor shed that's located flush against Lechuga's 1,600 square-foot house. It was packed full of furniture, clothes and odds and ends that Lechuga said she stores throughout the year to take to needy people in Juárez. The fire scorched part of a garage that's attached to the home and to the walls of a kitchen and small rear room.

Fire also engulfed a van -- a driveable vehicle Lechuga had planned to sell -- that was a few feet away from the shed, as well as part of a back-yard Mulberry tree and a second storage shed.

The fire started about 4:45 p.m. Nov. 13. Firefighters said it was mostly extinguished within 15 to 20 minutes and entirely out by 5:25 p.m.

This week, the inside of Lechuga's home was largely intact. But a faint smoky smell pervaded the house. A dark film -- smoke damage -- coated ceilings and walls. Also, the ceiling of a small back room sagged because of water damage from fire hoses. Some windows were cracked, another effect of the fire.

Las Cruces fire officials estimate damage costs at $38,000. An LCFD official investigating the fire called it "incendiary," meaning the fire may have been set intentionally.

That's what Lechuga believes. She said she found a plastic box placed near a wall that had been elsewhere in the yard before the fire. She said she found a pair of shoes near it. She noted the box would have provided a convenient step to help someone flee the scene over her back wall.

Lechuga owns three large German shepherds, which were in the yard at the time the fire started. She said she doesn't necessarily think that would have stopped someone from entering her yard, because the dogs are more defensive when she's at home than when she's away. And she was gone when the fire began. The dogs weren't injured in the fire.

Neighbors said they've seen a pattern of suspicious activity, including people roaming around who appear to behave erratically, around the area in recent years.

Lechuga said just a few weeks before the fire, there was an unsuccessful break-in attempt at her house. She was at home at the time.

While a home fire is a hardship under the best of financial circumstances, Lechuga didn't have homeowner's insurance on the property, which she owns outright. She said it was something she'd been seeking help from a relative to get, but she didn't have a policy yet.

The nights of Friday through Monday, Lechuga stayed with a grown daughter. She returned home on Tuesday, mainly because her dogs were agitated while she was away. Since the fire, the house hasn't had electricity or gas service. Lechuga said she's been told she'll need to repair the home's electrical wiring to get it turned on again. The lowest repair quote she's gotten so far is about $17,000 -- a price tag out of her reach financially.

El Paso Electric Co. spokesman George De La Torre said fire departments typically ask the electric company to disconnect a home's power in the event of a fire.

"When EPE disconnects power per a request from the fire department, EPE is required to verify that the appropriate inspection is provided before restoring power," De La Torre said. "This is for a safety precaution. The appropriate inspection is dependent on the jurisdiction. There is usually a fee a customer pays to restore power."

Rivera said Lechuga has been so generous to other people over the years, she's felt compelled to try to help her, especially because the fire happened just before the holiday season. Rivera said she's checked around, including at churches, for possible sources of financial aid, but to no avail.

Before the fire, Lechuga had been planning a Thanksgiving dinner at her house. But now she's been in a state of stress, the situation taking its toll.

"She's very devastated," Rivera said.

Lechuga has set up a GoFundMe.com account to raise money for the repairs, including to her home's roof. She's aiming to raise $20,000. As of Thursday, there were no donations. Rivera said she's also hoping volunteers with construction experience can step forward to help make repairs.

Diana Alba Soular may be reached at 575-541-5443 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @AlbaSoular

Friday's home fire

GoFundMe.com account: https://www.gofundme.com/qmagufpg

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