Fire destroys home in Senita

A fire destroyed a two-story home today on Krystal Lane in the Senita subdivision.

“The roof collapsed and there were very active flames inside,” Maricopa Fire Department spokesman Brad Pittasi said of the fire, which was reported around 2 p.m.

Pittasi said when firefighters first arrived there was very little smoke seen from the outside of the house. Firefighters went inside to find the origin of the fire, but there was zero visibility and high heat in the second story.

At that point, Pittasi said, firefighters pulled out of the house to contain the fire and protect nearby structures.

The blaze was upgraded to a first-alarm fire, which requires the highest level of response. Along with MFD, units from Tempe, Gila River, Sun Lakes and Phoenix were called.

MFD’s ladder truck was undergoing maintenance, Pittasi said, but because a Phoenix ladder truck responded firefighters were able to “knock down” the fire in less than an hour.