Arson destroys portions of Dudley School

Juan Corral, Alamogordo Daily News
·2 min read
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Members of the Alamogordo community pulled together to clean the newly renovated Dudley School, located at 523 Maryland Avenue, where fire officials said an arson was ignited

On Saturday, Jan. 27 the Alamogordo Fire Department and the Alamogordo Police Department responded to a call at approximately 10:13 p.m. reporting flames inside the building.

Alamogordo Fire Department personnel extinguished the flames within six minutes.

"The Joint investigation concluded that the fire was incendiary in nature and that this was a deliberate and intentional act of arson," Alamogordo Fire Investigations Unit Leader, Lieutenant William Skaggs said in the report.

The Dudley School served as a segregated school in the 1900s, when it was known as the Dudley School for Mexican Children according to Tularosa Basin Historical Society member Joe Lewandowski.

The Dudley School had been under renovations for nearly a year. Lewandowski said restorations began in 2022.

"The property will be converted into a Community Center and Park. Historical displays and stories will be presented in the building. The primary themes will be the Families of Dudley (Maryland) School, Education in the Basin and Hispanic and Black History in the Basin," Lewandowski said.

A completion date for the school's renovation is unknown.

More on the Dudley School Renovations:

The Dudley School, located at 523 Maryland Avenue, recently suffered a fire that officials labeled an arson. The school's back room was found in flames on Saturday, Jan. 27.
The Dudley School, located at 523 Maryland Avenue, recently suffered a fire that officials labeled an arson. The school's back room was found in flames on Saturday, Jan. 27.

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Cleanup organized by Alamogordo Commissioner Sharon McDonald

Commissioner Sharon McDonald worked just as fast as the Alamogordo Fire Department, organizing volunteers to clean the debris left behind.

The Alamogordo Daily News contacted McDonald for an interview but did not receive a response.

On Sunday, Feb. 4, Alamogordo residents, Holloman Air Force Base 49th Wing members and volunteers from the Saint John's Episcopal Church showed up to lend a hand.

"My wife, Sarah and I keep in touch with Many Hands Courtney McCary and there had been some talk about the arson act last week," St. John's Church's Father Michael Drinkwater said.

Drinkwater said it was important to show support during a crime like this and to stand with organizations supporting the cleanup.

"So, I brought soup, bread and cookies as a show of support. Saint John's, our day school currently operates out of one of the properties that belonged to Josephine Dudley so there's a historic connection," he said.

Alamogordo residents volunteer to clean up the newly renovated Dudley School after it was hit by an alleged act of arson Jan. 27.
Alamogordo residents volunteer to clean up the newly renovated Dudley School after it was hit by an alleged act of arson Jan. 27.

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Skaggs said the investigation into the arson is underway and asks any person who might have information to call the police department.

"While the criminal investigation is ongoing, we are asking the public to contact Alamogordo Police Department or Alamogordo Fire Department if they have any information related to this fire," Skaggs said.

Juan Corral can be reached at JCorral@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter at @Juan36Corr.

This article originally appeared on Alamogordo Daily News: Arson damages Dudley School interrupting renovation project