A 78-year-old man accidentally dropped a lit lighter outdoors, starting a fire that spread and destroyed his mobile home Thursday.
The man uses a wheelchair, and neighbors moved him away from his home to safety, said Capt. Adam Goldberg, a Northwest Fire District spokesman.
No one was injured in the fire in the 4700 block of North Camino Aire Fresco, which was reported shortly after 5 p.m., said Goldberg.
The neighborhood is north of West Wetmore Road and west of North Flowing Wells Road.
Firefighters arrived within five minutes and found the older model single-wide mobile home about 35 percent involved in fire. Twenty-one firefighters brought the fire under control in 11 minutes, Goldberg said.
Northwest Fire investigators found out that the man's lighter fell in an area with wood and debris that was near the mobile home, said Goldberg. He said estimated damage is $5,000.
The homeowner does not have insurance. The fire district's community assistance team and the Southern Arizona chapter of the American Red Cross aided the man with housing and additional needs, Goldberg said.
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