Thunderbird Farms man killed in blaze

A man was killed in an early morning fire in Thunderbird Farms, a rural area southwest of Maricopa, according to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.

PCSO homicide investigators recovered a body at the scene around 10:15 a.m., said Det. Todd Nelson. Homicide detectives are investigating the death, which is standard in this type of event, said PCSO spokesman Elias Johnson.

The fire occurred about 3:35 a.m. in an old church converted into a residence in the 49200 block of West Mayer Boulevard.

Johnson said the structure burned “fast and hot to the point when we got there minutes later there was no way to get into the house.”

No other deaths or injuries were reported, he said.

Units from the Ak-Chin Indian Community Fire Department were first to respond, followed by units from the Thunderbird Farms Volunteer Fire Department and the Maricopa Fire Department, said Jon Sheaffer, MFD spokesman.

Southwest Ambulance also responded.

***ADVERTISEMENT***The victim’s wife, who was inside the house with the man, reported the fire, Johnson said. The Sheriff's Office did not identify the woman or her husband.

Sheaffer said MFD was called for assistance about 45 minutes after the blaze was reported.

He said water is a premium in the rural area and firefighters had to shuttle water from a fire hydrant one mile away. He said the typical fire engine carries around 800 feet of supply hose that can connect to a hydrant.

Sheaffer said firefighters worked to keep the fire isolated from nearby houses and mobile homes.