ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Surveillance video of a fire that destroyed an iconic Albuquerque business confirmed investigator’s suspicions that humans are to blame.  

The fire happened Sunday at the Wash Tub Laundromat on Central. 

The video shows homeless people camping near the building where the fire started. Investigators suspect they started the fire to try and stay warm, but that fire spread and those people took off. 

It’s not a full picture, but this surveillance video is giving fire investigators a clearer picture of what happened at the Wash Tub Laundromat. 

People can see a group of people pulling their camp away from the flames. It confirms what investigators suspected – homeless people started the fire. 

Albuquerque Fire Rescue Spokesperson Jason Fejer says it’s possible they did it to stay warm.

“I don’t know how we can ever know the true intent of something. And so based on the surveillance video and the fact they were moving their stuff away from the fire as it grew, I don’t know if we can say it was intentional or accidental,” said Fejer. 

He says the fire began about 50 feet away from the entrance of the laundromat, but it got out of hand quickly.

“Cinder block wall and the brick facade of the building, fire just has a way of creeping into things and finding voids. And there was a passive breeze out of the north that night, so it fueled this attic fire and sent it around the length of the building,” Fejer said. 

Doug Peterson owns more than 50 properties across the metro, including two nearby that caught the incident on camera. 

“I’m not surprised. I’m of course continually disappointed by the condition of Albuquerque and that we allow those kind of things to happen,” said Peterson. 

He says he’s dealt with his fair share of trespassers. He even had a similar but less severe incident at one of his businesses. 

“I had transients set the side of our building on fire did over $30,000 worth of damage which is still there because I can’t afford to repair that right now,” Peterson said. 

Late last year, AFR launched a pilot program, staffing a brush truck to patrol for outdoor fires 24/7.

In January alone, the crew responded to nearly 800 of them. The point is to get to those warming fires before they turn into this. 

“This is heartbreaking to see and this is what we’re trying to avoid,” said Fejer. 

As far as charges go, Fejer says that’s up to investigators, but there is an open case because of how severe the damage is. 

They just need to find the people in that video, which Fejer says isn’t always so easy.