New Mexico

'One life lost out there is one too many': Taos leaders discuss safety of Gorge Bridge

Published

3 days ago

June 15, 2024

'One life lost out there is one too many': Taos leaders discuss safety of Gorge Bridge

TAOS COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s been a conversation in northern New Mexico for years. Now, after another apparent suicide this week at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge near Taos, community leaders said there is a dire need to find a solution to help save lives.

“One life lost out there is one too many. It weighs heavy on the community as a whole,” said Taos County Commissioner Darlene Vigil.

It’s a tourist destination, but it also has a dark history.

“The Gorge Bridge is definitely a place that many folks come to see. It has beautiful views, and unfortunately, it is being used often for suicide,” said Vigil.

On Tuesday, Taos County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, once again, for a possible suicide. Deputies recovered a body; this marks the third time they believe someone took their life this year.

The sheriff’s office said there’s continued concern for those on the bridge but also his deputies, who spearhead recovery efforts.

“It’s extremely challenging and dangerous. Every step, it could transition from a recovery to a rescue for the emergency personnel,” said Taos County Sheriff Steve Miera.

There have been years of discussion about putting more safety features on the bridge, like tall fencing or possible netting underneath. However, a 2019 study suggested the bridge would need improvements to support it.

“A complete structure analysis of the bridge would have to be done and also put the footings because that’s where all the weight goes,” said NMDOT Public Information Officer Jim Murray.

Vigil said the county plans to move forward with safety plans like adding memorials of those who have committed suicide there in the past, hoping it could act as a distraction to those considering suicide.

Since 2021, the state has continued to sit on $150,000 in capital outlay money for safety upgrades, which could be used to add fencing or cameras.

“We need action. We need to move that talking and conversation into action,” said Vigil.

Right now, there are crisis hotline phones at the bridge as well as an intervention security unit.

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New Mexico

Southern New Mexico wildfire leads to evacuation of village of 7,000 – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

Published

1 hour ago

June 18, 2024

Press Room

Southern New Mexico wildfire leads to evacuation of village of 7,000 – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

RUIDOSO, N.M. (AP) — Residents of a village in southern New Mexico were ordered to flee their homes Monday without taking time to grab any belongings due to a fast-moving wildfire.

“GO NOW: Do not attempt to gather belongings or protect your home. Evacuate immediately,” officials with Ruidoso, a village home to 7,000 people, said on its website and in social media posts at about 7 p.m.

Public Service Company of New Mexico shut off power to part of the village due to the fire, which had grown to at least 2 square miles (5.1 square kilometers) at the time the evacuation was ordered, KOAT-TV reported.

The glow from the fire could be seen Monday night from a webcam in the downtown area, where lights were still on.

The South Fork Fire started Monday on the Mescalero Apache Reservation.

The Village of Ruidoso is about 75 miles (121 kilometers) west of Roswell, where several evacuation centers were set up.

An air quality alert was issued for very unhealthy air in Ruidoso and surrounding areas due to smoke.

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New Mexico

Wildfire forces New Mexico town of Ruidoso to evacuate

Published

8 hours ago

June 18, 2024

Press Room

Wildfire forces New Mexico town of Ruidoso to evacuate

Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of Ruidoso, N.M., on Monday as a wildfire raged right outside the town.

The South Fork Fire was spreading just northwest of the town of 7,700 people. As of Monday evening, it had grown to an estimated 360 acres and was threatening multiple structures, according to the New Mexico Forestry Division, dwarfing the nearby Salt Fire, which covered 35 acres.

Evacuation centers were set up at the Inn of the Mountain Gods, a lodging facility about three miles south of Ruidoso, and at Eastern New Mexico University at Roswell, about 65 miles east of the town.

A live webcam showed heavy traffic heading east, as haze and smoke filled the skies.

Ruidoso was designated a high-risk area by federal officials in 2000 because of the thick forests surrounding the town, which can serve as fuel for wildfire, resulting in “catastrophic” damage to residential properties, the water supply and the local population, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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New Mexico

Driver severely injured after train and semi-truck collide in Dexter

Published

15 hours ago

June 17, 2024

Press Room

Driver severely injured after train and semi-truck collide in Dexter

DEXTER, N.M. (KRQE) – Emergency crews in Dexter are asking people to stay away from a train crossing in the area after a train crashed into a semi-truck. According to Dexter Fire and Rescue, the driver of the semi-truck was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries while the crew on the train had minor injuries.

The crash appears to have happened near Lincoln Ave. and State Highway 2. New Mexico State Police and BNSF officials are investigating the crash. Crews say all training crossings will be closed until further notice adding it may stretch into Tuesday.

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