Taos probe delayed by Walmart blaze
Sep. 19—TAOS — State fire marshal investigation of the Clovis Walmart fire of Sept. 3, delayed investigation into a fire in Taos, according to a report in the Taos News.
The Taos News quotes Taos' Fire Chief Eddie Joe Abeyta in a Sept. 11 interview as saying an investigation into fire at a construction site for a Starbucks store in Taos was delayed, because the Walmart drew away "every investigator" in the state just two days after the investigation into the Taos Starbucks fire opened.
"They had all hands on deck there, and we were hoping to have them back in the office" on the Taos investigation as of Sept. 8, Chief Abeyta said, adding that Taos Police Department was working alongside the State Fire Marshal on the investigation.
The fire at the Starbucks was reported just before midnight Aug. 30 and destroyed a portion of the east-facing facade of the building. Graffiti opposing the coffee corporation's presence in the town of Taos, was found around the time of the fire.
