By Jon Johnson
FORT THOMAS — A double-wide trailer that served as a family home for four decades burned to the ground Tuesday afternoon just off W. Hinton Drive in a secluded area of Fort Thomas, but the resident escaped unharmed.
The fire was reported shortly after 12:27 p.m. Dispatch logs indicate the structure was almost fully engulfed when firefighters arrived. The owner’s son had left the property for lunch when a coworker noticed flames flaring from what was believed to have been a smoldering stump. Strong winds reportedly helped spread the fire rapidly through the older manufactured home.
Rev. Scott Murphy, the homeowner, said he had just returned from a 10-hour drive from northern Colorado and worked through the night alongside others to prevent the flames from reaching nearby fields. Murphy serves as a missionary to Native Americans. He founded and pastors Regeneration Baptist Church and leads Regeneration Ministries, a nonprofit focused on equipping Native leadership, conducting outreach in detention centers on the San Carlos and White River reservations, and distributing gospel resources in more than 150 indigenous languages.
In an interview at the scene, Murphy reflected on the trailer’s long history with his family.
“That was our first home,” he said. “We bought it in 1985, lived in it, raised three of our four kids here. Our fourth was born while we were in another facility up there. Later, my mother lived with us until her Alzheimer’s required assisted living in Tucson. Most recently, my son and his dog were staying there.”
Murphy noted that the trailer had seen significant use, including the addition of metal roofing later to address leakage issues common in such homes.
“Forty years — that’s pretty good for a trailer,” he remarked, expressing gratitude that the loss was limited to the structure.
Dispatch records show firefighters from Fort Thomas, Safford, and Pima responded to the scene. Murphy praised the Fort Thomas Fire Department for their swift response. Dispatch notes that approximately 2,000 rounds of live ammunition stored in the home discharged during the blaze, but the isolated location helped contain risks to the surrounding area.
Despite the personal setback, Murphy emphasized thankfulness that no one was injured.
“It could have been much worse,” he said. “We’re very fortunate. The fire department is great, and the community response has been wonderful.”
The ministries of Regeneration Reservation continue without interruption. The organization produces Native-led content, including audio resources in tribal languages such as Choctaw, Cherokee, Lakota, and Shoshone, which visitors can select by tribe. Murphy had recently attended events, including the Denver Powwow and other gatherings, to support the work.
The incident remains under investigation, but officials believe the fire originated from the smoldering stump rather than any suspicious cause. On Wednesday, Murphy continued monitoring hotspots until the area was fully secured.
