Teepee goes up in flames following reported family disturbance in Littlefield

Beaver Dam Littlefield Fire District responds to a fire that destroys a teepee on Littlefield Lane, Mohave County, Ariz., Dec. 21, 2021 | Photo courtesy of Jeff Hunt, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Beaver Dam-Littlefield Fire and Rescue in Arizona responded Tuesday to Littlefield Lane in Mohave County after a teepee caught fire.

Beaver Dam Littlefield Fire District responds to a fire that destroys a teepee on Littlefield Lane, Mohave County, Ariz., Dec. 21, 2021 | Photo courtesy of Jeff Hunt, St. George News

Shortly after 5 p.m. MDT, firefighters were dispatched to Littlefield Lane on a structure fire involving a teepee that was burning in a remote area of Littlefield.

Beaver Dam-Littlefield Fire Chief Jeff Hunt told St. George News the teepee was located in an area that was inaccessible to the fire engine, which is when he quickly returned to the scene in a brush truck and was able to extinguish the flames shortly after arrival.

He said they also found a man who was very upset sitting near the teepee when they first pulled up to the scene. Hunt said when they asked him if he was OK, the man said, “I just lost my teepee.”

The fire rapidly spread through the small teepee and destroyed it, he said adding that the teepee was homemade and handcrafted out of leather sheets and straps that were draped and secured to wooden poles. And while the fire burned through a relatively small area, it still destroyed everything the family owned, Hunt said.

Authorities say the fire spread so quickly that it also left a large footprint of destruction in the area surrounding the home as well. While firefighters were tending to the blaze, deputies with the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene.

Anita Mortensen, spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office, told St. George News a call came into emergency dispatch reporting some type of disturbance at the home. When deputies arrived, she said, they spoke to one of the family members who said the “parents started arguing and the teepee went up in flames.”

Mortensen also said with the ongoing investigation, the details surrounding the incident were limited.

No fire-related injuries were reported.

This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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