Fire destroys downtown house

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - A fire Tuesday night destroyed a house used by an Albuquerque attorney for storage, but firefighters were able to keep it away from the hazardous materials in a neighboring auto-parts store.

The fire was reported around 11 p.m. Tuesday at the house next to the law firm owned by Lisa Torraco, who last year ran for Bernalillo County district attorney, on Second Street near Marble Avenue NW near downtown Albuquerque.

It took about an hour and a half for more than 30 firefighters to put out the flames, which put up smoke that was visible for miles.

"The first thing they were thinking about is exposure protection," Capt. Mike Paiz of the Albuquerque Fire Department said. "When you have an auto store with ignitable and combustible liquids, that is definitely a factor."

Arson investigators are looking into the cause of the fire, but have not said whether they suspect it was arson.

Torraco told firefighters she saw a homeless person sleeping on the back porch of the home Thursday night.

She told News 13 there was some furniture and old paperwork in the vacant home, but no important documents that may have jeopardized any current cases.