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Organization Has Spent $25K After Fire, Gas Outage
The New Mexico chapter of the American Red Cross is asking for donations after spending more than $25,000 during the past week providing assistance to victims of the statewide gas outage and the massive apartment fire on Gibson Boulevard in Albuquerque.
More than 75 Albuquerque firefighters were called out to the Royal Crown Apartments on Gibson west of San Mateo around 2:30 p.m Friday.
The three-story building was a total loss, as flare-ups at the property persisted until Monday.
Forty-seven units were affected by the fire, and the Red Cross placed about 35 people into local hotel rooms, said Arthur Bishop, a spokesman for the Red Cross.
Because the Red Cross does not provide long-term housing, Bishop said, the organization is now working with its community partners such as United Way to get former Royal Crown residents into more permanent living situations.
Red Cross volunteer case workers are assisting the displaced people “to determine what kind of help they need — like prescriptions — and make sure they get that help,” he said.
The state’s Red Cross chapter has gone through more than $25,000 in public donations during the past week, Bishop said. A “large percentage” of that money has gone to former residents of the apartment complex; the rest has gone to help people from across the state who have been affected by the natural gas shortage caused by extreme winter conditions.
Albuquerque firefighters also are taking donations for the apartment fire victims.
The Red Cross receives no federal funding, Bishop said.
To donate:
visit RedCrossNewMexico.org
call 1-800-560-2302
text “RED CROSS” to 9099
go to the local Red Cross office at 142 Monroe NE
