Three residential fires in 12 hours kept Tucson firefighters busy overnight.
The first was called in just after 4 Wednesday afternoon. The fire caused an estimated $25,000 in damage to an apartment in the 3600 block of East Blacklidge Drive. A hole had to be cut in the roof to reduce temperatures inside the apartment and improve visibility for firefighters, said Capt. Barrett Baker, spokesman for the Tucson Fire Department. It took eight units and 22 firefighters 11 minutes to bring the fire under control. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The second fire was reported just after 2 a.m. Thursday at a tri-plex in the 2400 block of North Treat Avenue. One apartment was damaged and two people living in adjoining apartments had to be evacuated temporarily, Baker said.
The fire started in a cooler unit attached to a vacant apartment. When fire crews arrived on scene the cooler was engulfed in flames which had spread into the attic space. A ladder crew had to cut two holes in the roof to prevent the fire from spreading through the entire building, Baker said.
It took eight units and 21 firefighters 14 minutes to bring the fire under control. Damage was estimated at $60,000.
The third fire, at about 4:45 a.m. Thursday destroyed a house in the 2900 block of East 26th Street. Six people and 15 dogs were in the house when the fire broke out.
Emergency dispatch received about a dozen calls reporting the house fire. A disabled resident in the home was pulled out through a bedroom window before firefighters arrived on scene. One person was taken to a hospital for medical care for injuries sustained while breaking windows to aid rescue efforts. Several dogs died in the fire, but an exact number is not yet known since some dogs were able to escape and remain unaccounted for, Baker said.
“The first engine company on scene reported that the house was completely engulfed in flames. They advised that they would have to fight the fire defensively, or from the outside, due to the amount of fire and heat that it was producing,” Baker said.
It took 11 units and 27 firefighters 12 minutes to bring the fire under control. The Red Cross is assisting the family.
Damage is estimated at $100,000. The house is a total loss, Baker said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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