Fire guts RV in Somerton; arson suspected
Police suspect arson in the case of a fire that destroyed a recreation vehicle in Somerton Thursday morning. The charred remains of the RV is all that is left after flames engulfed it.
The Somerton/Cocopah Fire Department responded to the 200 block of Capitol Street at about 10 a.m. after receiving a report of a full- sized RV fully engulfed in fire next to a detached garage. The RV was 6 to 10 feet from the garage and about 20 feet from the residence.
Witnesses told the fire department that heavy black smoke could be seen from 3 miles outside of Somerton.
“The flames had lit up the eaves of the detached garage and were climbing the roof” as units from the fire department arrived on scene, according to a fire department press release.
Due to the proximity of the fire to the residence, the arriving ladder truck connected to the nearest hydrant, while Squad One personnel pulled compressed foam lines to the flames.
Firefighters pulled off an additional line of the ladder truck and focused on the east side of the RV, while Squad One used the foam line to blanket the roof of the detached garage and battled flames on the west side.
Crews knocked down the fire in less than 15 minutes. Personnel then followed up with salvage and overhaul activities to prevent rekindling of the fire.
The RV was a total loss and the detached garage sustained an estimated $2,000 to $4,000 in damage, the fire department said.
Investigators with the Somerton Police Department and the Somerton/ Cocopah Fire Department are calling the cause of the fire “suspicious” and suspect arson due to evidence collected and secured from the scene.
Police said officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance between residents at the same address about two hours earlier. At that time, no complaints were signed and no arrests were made.
The victim reportedly refused to cooperate with police and fire investigators and also allegedly declined to prosecute anyone who might have started the fire and damaged the property, police added.
During the fire investigation, a “person of interest” was voluntarily transported to the police station for further questioning. The 22-year-old man then complained of being sick and was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center.