Within hours, firefighters respond to house fire and ATV accident

Firefighters from the Somerton/Cocopah Fire Department responded to a house fire and a two-vehicle accident involving an ATV that happened several hours apart on Sunday.

According to Somerton/Cocopah Fire Department Spokesman Robby Rodriguez, shortly after 2 p.m. firefighters were dispatched to the 700 block of Calle Esperanza for a house fire in progress.
Upon their arrival, Rodriguez said responding units found heavy smoke and flames coming from a window on the east side of the home, with flames catching the eaves of the home on fire.

He said firefighters made entry into the home through the front door and began extinguishing the fire as they made their way to the room where it had started. The occupants were home at the time of the fire but safely made it out.

Rodriguez said the fire was contained to the inside of the home but appeared to have extended into the attic. Firefighters, however, pulled down the ceiling to search for the fire and quickly extinguished it.

The Marine Corps Air Station Fire Department also responded and assisted in putting the fire. During the blaze, San Luis Ambulance handled all the EMS calls in Somerton's area.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Red Cross was contacted to assist the home's occupants.

Then at approximately 5 p.m., Somerton/Cocopah Fire Department was dispatched to the area of County 19th Street and the dunes area for a two-vehicle accident involving an ATV.

Rodriguez said when firefighters arrived on the scene, due to the terrain, they were taken to an area in the dunes by a private citizen. When firefighters got to that area, they found a 27-year-old male lying in the dirt with multiple injuries.

Rodriguez said the patient told firefighters he was riding his ATV at approximately 60 miles per hour when he collided with a vehicle. When the rider of the ATV hit the vehicle he was ejected, landing in the dirt.

The rider, who was wearing a helmet, was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center via emergency traffic in critical condition.

Rodriguez said the SCFD has been responding to this popular off-road area a number of times for serious accidents and urges people to use caution when riding off-road vehicles in the area and to wear the proper equipment when operating ATVs.

Shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday, Somerton/Cocopah firefighters were dispatched to the 700 block of Calle Esperanza for a house fire in progress. Upon their arrival they found heavy smoke and flames coming from a window on the east side of the home, with flames catching the eaves of the home on fire. Firefighters entered the home through the front door and began extinguishing the fire as they made their way to the room where it had started.