Gilbert house fire was caused by fireworks, officials say

GILBERT, Ariz. - A Gilbert home has been heavily damaged after fireworks reignited in a trash can overnight, fire officials said.

The house fire sparked in a neighborhood near Val Vista and Williams Field Road.

Crews said the homeowners extinguished their fireworks in a bucket of water and waited until they were cool to the touch before throwing them away alongside the home.

At some point, the fireworks reignited, and flames made their way up the side of the home and into the attic.

"They were trying to be as safe as possible, this is just heartbreaking for them, because they thought they were doing everything they could," said a fire official at the scene. "Those fireworks being cool to the touch, they thought they were out. It could be the products in the garbage can, it could be they reignited later on."

Fire officials recommend that the best way to dispose of fireworks is to soak them in a metal bucket away from your home for at least 24 hours.

Now, a family of four has been displaced. They told firefighters that their smoke detectors were acting up last week, so they cleaned them and made sure they were working.

Gilbert Fire says those precautions likely saved their lives, but the home is a total loss.