Photo by Michelle Chance

 

A home in Tortosa caught fire Tuesday afternoon and threatened neighboring houses.

Maricopa Fire/Medical Department responded to Cartegna Lane after neighbors reported smoke. One neighbor tested the door handle of the building and discovered it was hot.

The homeowner was not home at the time. Three dogs were in the back yard, apparently having escaped through a dog door. No injuries have been reported.

Deidra Campbell, a neighbor, said she saw the smoke on her way home and was one of the first to report the fire. At first, she thought it was blowing dust and later a small brush fire.

“When we got closer to the entry to Tortosa, we could tell it was different,” she said. “We waited in the median and called from there.”

MFMD hit two houses with water in the 35000 block of West Cartegna.

Fire Chief Brady Leffler said by the time firefighters arrived, the fire had burned through the stairwell, cutting off access to the second floor.

“They backed out; they went defensive, which is to protect exposures and things like that,” Leffler said. “They’ve got it under control now.”

He said the fire was contained to one house.

Maricopa Police Department spokesman Daniel Rauch said officers were able to contact the homeowner, and he was on his way to the scene.

It is the third house fire reported since June 6.

Photo by Michelle Chance

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