Doña Ana County fire crews responded to a reported blaze at the long‑closed Santa Teresa Country Club just before 5 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11. The single‑story commercial building on Feathermoon Drive was heavily involved in flames, but firefighters contained the fire and achieved control in roughly 45 minutes, according to officials from the Doña Ana Fire Rescue and the Sunland Park Fire Department.
Investigation into possible connection with earlier booms
Late Tuesday night residents in Santa Teresa and nearby parts of El Paso reported hearing two loud booms, the first around 10:50 p.m. and a second about 17 minutes later. One resident, Marisela Gomez, said the first boom shook objects inside her home, while the second was accompanied by a bright flash captured on her security camera. Other locals described sounds strong enough to rattle windows and doors.
Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart told KFOX that deputies were dispatched to the golf course area after receiving calls about the booms around midnight. Sheriff Stewart expressed a belief that the noises could be linked to the later fire, though the county fire marshal’s office has not confirmed any connection.
County spokesperson Ariana Parra explained to KVIA that the booms were reported at approximately 11:30 p.m., more than five hours before firefighters arrived. Parra said investigators initially found no evidence of an explosion when they responded to the reports, and she could not say with certainty whether the booms and the fire are related.
Law‑enforcement response
A bomb squad was sent to the area as a precaution, and the FBI became involved once a bomb‑squad response was triggered. The FBI confirmed its participation and identified the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office as the lead agency in the investigation.
Authorities have not publicly determined the cause of the booms, nor have they established that an explosion occurred at the country club site.
Impact on nearby development
The incident prompted questions about Project Jupiter, a data‑center development under construction nearby. Both the county spokesperson and Oracle, the company behind Project Jupiter, confirmed that the development was not involved in the fire and that construction continued as scheduled on Wednesday.
Fire‑department actions
According to the county’s official release, firefighters began defensive suppression operations upon arrival, quickly containing the flames. After the fire was under control, crews remained on scene to extinguish hot spots and monitor for possible rekindling.
KVIA reported that the Santa Teresa Country Club has been permanently closed for several years, and no one was inside the building when firefighters arrived.
Ongoing investigation
The Doña Ana County Fire Marshal’s Office continues to investigate the cause of the fire. While the loud booms remain under review, officials have not ruled out the possibility that the two incidents are unrelated.
Residents are encouraged to report any additional information that may assist investigators. Updates will be provided as the inquiry progresses.
Original reporting: Organ Mountain News (Las Cruces / Doña Ana County) — read the source article.
