Yuma home heavily damaged by fire

A Yuma home was deemed "heavily damaged" late Tuesday afternoon after a fire swept through the structure, according to city fire department officials.

Fire Inspector Kayla Holiman of the Yuma Fire Department said fire inspectors were called to the scene, but it is still too early to determine what caused the fire, or where in the home it originated.

Shortly before 4 p.m. a fire was reported at a home in the 1000 block of east Hacienda Drive. Upon arrival, Holiman said firefighters found heavy smoke and flames coming from the front of the home.

"The house was approximately 70 percent involved when firefighters arrived,' Holiman said.

Micahlynn Rivera, who lives directly behind the home, had just returned home from work and was letting her dog out in the backyard when she noticed smoke coming from vents on the roof of the home.

"It was a little scary," Rivera said. "I saw the whole back of the house go up in flames."

Rivera said the smoke coming from the vents was white at first, but quickly turned black. At that point she said she saw smoke seeping out from under the roof.

"I called 9-1-1 and reported a fire," Rivera said. "I also saw the power lines catch fire, burn and fall to the ground."

Holiman said the fire was quickly contained and extinguished without any damage to the surrounding homes. Firefighters used compressed air foam to extinguish the blaze.

Fearing for her home, and because it was a bit windy, Rivera said she turned on the sprinklers in her backyard to wet things down.

"The flames were about 10 to 20 feet high," Rivera said.

Holiman added that the residents of the home were not at home at the time of the fire and that the Red Cross has been activated to assist two adults and three children who have been displaced as a result of the fire.

Rivera also said she thought she heard people inside the home before firefighters arrived, yelling and breaking windows but never saw anyone.

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James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.