Chief praises work at Walmart fire

Clovis Fire Chief Mike Nolen had high praise for firefighters who battled the Sept. 3 blaze at Walmart.

“The personnel in my department performed as well as anybody ever has. I am so proud,” Nolen told city commissioners at Thursday’s meeting.

Crews from Pleasant Hill, Farwell, Texico, Ranchvale, Grady, Broadview, Melrose, Portales and Bovina also helped extinguish the fire Walmart officials estimated caused $42 million in damages.

Nolen said it was a major challenge, and not something anyone could really be prepared for.

“My biggest concern was the heat that was involved,” he said. The smoke made for low-visibility, which meant officials had to keep close track of the personnel that went inside.

Nolen said those fighting the fire would come out periodically to drink water and even go over to the ambulances on sight for IV fluids. Then, they would go back in to continue fighting.

Officials believe an arsonist was responsible for the fire. Jimmy Guillen, a transient who’d been in Clovis for about a week, has been arrested in Lubbock and is awaiting extradition to New Mexico to face charges.

Clovis’ Deputy Chief Faye Craigmile remembers waking up in the early morning hours of Sept. 3, scared to see just how bad the fire was, based on what she was hearing over the scanners.

“As I was pulling on my boots, the dispatcher asked command which mutual aid departments he wanted to activate. His response was all of them. That's the statement that made my heart sank. Because that's when you know, it's real,” Craigmile told the commission.

“(Crews) helped to mitigate that scene in ways that are unspoken,” Craigmile said.

“I's more than a partnership. It's more than just a thank you. This is the bond between brothers and sisters.”