Neighbors recount close call after fire destroys Albuquerque townhouse

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – We’re learning more about how people raced to safety during a massive fire early Friday morning that consumed a townhouse in a northeast Albuquerque neighborhood.

The house that caught fire was under construction with no one living there, but the next-door neighbors were sound asleep at home. 

It was around 6:15 a.m. Friday morning, when Nikki Cordova received a terrifying wake-up call from her neighbor. 

“Somebody banged on her door and woke her up, that was driving down the street to go to the gym. And he stopped and woke her up, and she came out and realized that we were not out yet, so she called me and woke me up,” said Nikki Cordova, home tenant. 

To tell Cordova that she needed to get out.

“I woke up, jumped up and grabbed my three-year-old and then grabbed my dog and we just left out of the garage because all of the flames were at our front door,” said Cordova. 

Cordova says it’s hard for her to think about what would have happened if her neighbor didn’t call. 

“I don’t know, I don’t know if we would have made it out or if the firefighters would have gotten us out because we were complexly asleep like completely,” she said.  

But there is one thing that is easy for her to reflect on.

“God is good, of course I feel sad that’s all my stuff that I worked hard to provide for my daughter, but all that stuff can be replaced,” said Cordova.  

All that was left of the house that caught fire was charred pieces of its frame.

Cordova was able to get back inside her house to access the damage, and she says 90% of her belongings can’t be saved.  But one thing that was saved by firefighters was her pet bearded dragon.