MESA, AZ — Fire officials say a house fire that sparked late Sunday night in Mesa may have been caused by "improperly discarded fireworks."
The Mesa Fire Department said crews responded to the area of Broadway Road and Val Vista Drive for the house fire. Firefighters arrived at the scene and found a small two-story home with heavy fire coming from the roof.
Officials said crews tried to search the home for people inside but "encountered significant hoarding conditions that inhibited them from entering."
Fire crews soon upgraded the fire to a first-alarm fire and began to battle the fire from outside.
It was later determined that the home's occupants exited safely and no injuries were reported.
One adult, two children, and two dogs were displaced due to the fire and the home was a complete loss.
Authorities said preliminary findings show that "improperly discarded fireworks" were likely the cause of the fire.
The incident remains under investigation.
"The Mesa Fire and Medical Department cannot stress enough that use fireworks is dangerous and often better left to the professionals, but if members of our community plan on using legal fireworks please ensure that they are properly disposed of and not just thrown away in a trash can," fire officials said in a news release. "Fireworks often retain heat which can be transferred to items within the enclosed trash can causing a fire that can quickly spread to your home. Please take care with not only the use of legal fireworks but also the proper disposal as well."
Officials urge users to have a bucket of water and fire extinguisher nearby when using fireworks. You should submerge all fireworks (used or unused) in a bucket of water before disposal.
