TFD Puts Out 2 Residential Fires Inside Of 2 Hours

TUCSON – Monday evening a busy one for the Tucson Fire Department, who extinguished two fires within a two-hour timeframe.

South Missiondale Road, about 6:30 p.m.

Firefighters arrived at the first fire at a south side house in the 7200 block of S. Missiondale Road around 6:30 p.m., where they found neighbors attempting to throttle back the flames of the vacant residence using a green garden hose.

When TFD arrived outside the burning house, they executed an “exterior reset” by pulling a hose line to the home’s front yard to quench the fire externally. This practice cools the house’s interior before firefighters head inside. After making sure no people were in the house and after the fire was extinguished, the fire crew set up a high-powered fan to move the remaining smoke from the house to cut down on smoke damage. Thermal imaging cameras were also used by firefighters as some ceiling drywall was pulled down to expose remaining hot spots.

The fire was contained within 11 minutes of TFD’s arrival, completed by 23 firefighters and 9 units. The fire's cause and origin are still being investigated. An estimate of the damages is not yet available.

TFD officials warned in a media release that using a green garden hose might work if a fire is in its beginnings, but not once the flames have grown larger or have advanced. “Never risk being burned if the fire is spreading too quickly. Call 911 as soon as possible to get firefighters on the way.”

Flowing Wells Road, about 8:30 p.m.

The second fire TFD members extinguished Monday night within 2 hours was at a mobile home in the 3400 block of N. Flowing Wells Road around 8:30 p.m. The 911 call originally received from a neighbor indicated that a resident of the flaming house was still inside. However, updated information provided to fire crews before their arrival said the home’s occupant was now out of the residence.

When TFD crew members arrived, they pulled a hose line and started extinguishing the fire from the outside, which was exuding heavy smoke and flames. Firefighters then conducted an interior search for more residents, then used thermal imaging cameras to detect remaining hot spots as they had done at the South Missiondale Road fire. Meanwhile, TFD asked TPD to direct traffic during the fire, as the firehose went the entire way across Flowing Wells Road.

This second fire of the evening was contained within 12 minutes of TFD’s arrival, again involving 23 firefighters and 9 units. The Red Cross also was at the scene to aid the home's 50-year-old female displaced resident.

Investigation of the origin and cause of this fire is also still underway, and a damage estimate is not available yet.