Person burned trying to stop fire from spreading at Phoenix home
PHOENIX - A fast-moving fire in Phoenix burned a victim, destroyed a home, RV and detached shed on Tuesday afternoon.
The fire broke out at a home near 17th Street and Indian School Road around 5:30 p.m. on June 4.
"The fire appears to have started near an external garage and quickly spread into a nearby recreational vehicle, while also spreading into a home," said Phoenix Fire Capt. Rob McDade.
A person who tried to stop the flames suffered minor burns and is at a local burn hospital for treatment. Phoenix Fire doesn't know if the person lived inside the home.
No firefighters were injured while battling the fire in 100+ degree heat.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Firefighting in triple-digit heat
The triple-digit heat makes the job more taxing for firefighters across the Valley.
In this case, Capt. McDade said the majority of this home is built of brick, and fire crews compared the flames in the house to being hotter than the inside of a brick pizza oven.
The heat created the perfect recipe for the fire to take off.
Photo from the Phoenix Fire Department
"It's a hot day, there's a little bit of wind coming from the south, and that fire went right into that adjacent home," Capt. McDade said.
Working in one of the hottest and busiest cities, crews know what they signed up for.
"Already the start of a long, hot summer. Our firefighters are going to be pushed to the limit, but we believe they're up for the task," he said.
The department scales back on outdoor workouts in full gear back at the station.
"Summer is here. It's going to be like this until September," Capt. McDade said.
Phoenix Fire brings out multiple crews to rotate in and out of the fire to minimize the extreme exposure to heat. It's a challenge with all the gear they carry.
"Our turnout gear, that really holds in the heat and does its job and so you got to wear 40 to 50 pounds of equipment, and you're going to be right up against the fire," he explained.