Arson guts early railroad building

RATON, N.M. (KRQE) - Fire investigators in Raton Thursday blamed arson for the fire that destroyed part of a historic building housing offices of the Colfax County Senior Center.

Raton fire crews were called to the former railroad freight house building on South First Street about 3:30 a.m.

Fire chief Dave Pasquale said the fire started on the south end of the building on a wood deck. An accelerant was used, he added.

The building had been remodeled a few years ago. It was built in 1903 as by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway as a freight house.

Investigators are still trying to find the person who set the fire.