Jemez Springs Fire Hit by Tree Fatality 1946

Abenicio Toya, a 15-year-old firefighter with the Jemez Pueblo Fire Crew, was employed on a fire in the Jemez Springs area of the Santa Fe National Forest when he was struck and fatally injured by a falling tree. Toya was one of a group of 11 Jemez crew members resting under a tree at 0300 hours when it fell into the group, striking him. Julian Sandoval, another crew member, observed the tree begin to fall and gave a warning--but was too late. The tree was determined to have burned out at its base and/or roots, becoming compromised and leading to its failure.