5 agencies respond to simultaneous fires in Littlefield; 1 home lost

Home is fully engulfed in flames as firefighters fight work to put it out, Littlefield, Arizona, May 27, 2017 | Photo courtesy of Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire District Chief Jeff Hunt, St. George News

LITTLEFIELD, Ariz. — A home burned to the ground Saturday afternoon as firefighters and crews were called in from numerous agencies to battle two fires simultaneously in Littlefield, Arizona.

Smoke billows from mobile home during structure fire that was started by burning trash that spread, Littlefield, Arizona, May 27, 2017 | Photo courtesy of Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire District Chief Jeff Hunt, St. George News

Shortly after 2 p.m. MST firefighters were dispatched to two separate fires, a wildland fire that started in the rear of a residence on Shadow Mountain Lane and a structure fire that was reported on Desert Springs Road, Debbie Gates, Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire District EMS captain, said.

Both fires were burning close to each other, with the wildland fire burning on property located approximately 50 yards behind the residence, which was also fully engulfed in flames.

Numerous agencies sent firefighters, engines and equipment to assist Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire District, including the Mesquite Fire Department, Bunkerville Fire Department, Clark County Fire Department and the Bureau of Land Management.

“The BLM even sent a fire engine up from Logandale to help out. That fire was big,” Gates said.

Investigators believe the wildland fire started first after speaking with a homeowner who said he was burning around a burn barrel near his residence on Shadow Mountain Lane when the fire began spreading to the surrounding brush.

“He said he was burning around the barrel first, and was then going to burn trash in the barrel, but somehow the fire went out of control and crossed over to the home on Desert Springs Road,” Gates said.

Firefighter douses structure fire that was started by burning trash that spread, Littlefield, Arizona, May 27, 2017 | Photo courtesy of Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire District Chief Jeff Hunt, St. George News

Once the home on Desert Springs Road caught fire it burned quickly and was fed by a propane tank located behind the structure, as well as ammunition that exploded during the blaze.

“With the propane tank burning and the ammo going off, it was pretty tense there for a while,” Gates said.

Firefighters were unable to save the home, however, they were able to save the detached garage and the contents inside, including an ATV and other items.

“Everything else was gone,” Gates said.

The homeowner was visiting family in Boise, Idaho, at the time of the fire, Gates said, but he was called and advised of the situation.

Since there were no fire hydrants or water sources near the blaze, fighting the fire was made more difficult because it required transporting water to the scene stored in fire trucks, engines and water tenders.

A water tender is a specialized truck designed for transporting water from a water source to a fire scene and is capable of carrying a minimum of 1,000 gallons of water that can also be pumped from or drafted from a stream, lake or hydrant, according to a report by Fire Apparatus Magazine.

Seven hours later the fire was extinguished and the scene was cleared.

No injuries to residents or firefighters were reported.

Deputies from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office also provided assistance by securing the scene, keeping bystanders away from the fire and checking on residents.

This report is based on statements from emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

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1 Comment

  • comments May 28, 2017 at 5:40 pm

    All common sense totally out the window. This is why you don’t want hillbillies as neighbors. Super dry and hot day, dried out brush and shrub all over and Bubba is out “burning around a barrel”. Makes you wonder.

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