Local News

There have been a lot of theories about the cause of the fire that heavily damaged New Beginnings Church July 4.

Was it electrical? Was it arson?

Tuesday, New Beginnings Church pastor Shawn Amburgey finally found out the cause.

It was electrical.

Amburgey had just met with Sammy Anaya from the investigations unit of the State Fire Marshal’s office when the investigator's findings were released.

When asked what Anaya said, Amburgey said “the test results came back negative for accelerants and that it was an accidental incident by electrical failure.”

Los Alamos fire chief Troy Hughes also talked to Anaya and confirmed the findings.

“It apparently started in an outlet near the stage area,” Hughes said.  

It has been nearly six weeks since the fire and investigators pored through a mountain of burn evidence.

"It just took a while to get the results back," Hughes said. "Usually with a flammable liquid, that can be found out rather quickly. But with this, they used microscopes and x-rays and all of that takes time. The investigators did a tremendous job and everybody wanted an answer quickly. I know I was getting a little impatient waiting to find out the results."

Charles Burnett, 22, an inmate at the Los Alamos Detention Center, was transported to Los Alamos Medical Center as a precaution this morning after a fight at the detention center. According to  LAPD Lt. Jason Wardlow-Herrera, Burnett sustained a minor laceration to his right eye when another inmate, Anthony Chavez, 31, punched him in the face.

According to reports, the fight started when Burnett refused to obey the orders of a detention guard. Burnett’s refusal to obey orders irritated Chavez, and a fight between the two inmates ensued, according to reports.

Burnett was then taken to the hospital, where he was treated. According to Lt. Jason Wardlow-Herrera, Burnett’s injury was not serious.

“He was only at the hospital for a short time, was looked at, and returned to the detention center” he said.

According to  Herrera, Burnett is not going to press charges. Chavez was originally in jail for a probation violation.

Burnett was in jail for being picked up on two warrants, as well as three new counts of allegedly contributing to the delinquency of a minor and resisting arrest. Charges in the warrants included violating conditions of release, breaking and entering, battery on a household member, and the felony charge of possession of controlled substance.