Staff Reports
SAFFORD – A grey Ford pickup truck was declared a total loss after catching fire in front of a residence on S. Pima Drive in Graham County on Saturday, Nov. 30.
Emergency dispatch received the call at approximately 5:01 p.m. Safford Fire Department units, already responding to a separate fire in the San Jose area, were diverted to the scene and successfully extinguished the blaze. No injuries were reported, and the nearby residence sustained no damage.
A responding deputy arrived to find the truck parked in the roadway east of the home with flames visible in the front engine compartment. Bystanders were moved back for safety after two explosions were heard from the engine area, followed by what sounded like ammunition discharging inside the vehicle.
According to witness statements, the truck’s occupant had returned home shortly before 5 p.m. and parked facing the garage. Surveillance footage from the residence showed smoke emerging from the right-front area of the vehicle around 5 p.m. The occupant reported no recent mechanical work on the truck and no issues while driving it moments earlier.
A neighbor noticed the smoke, arrived on scene, and used a tow strap to pull the burning vehicle away from the house and into the roadway to prevent further spread of the fire. Other neighbors had initially attempted to control the flames with a garden hose. The neighbor who moved the truck observed smoke coming from the right-front wheel well and suggested the fire may have originated from an electrical issue or a component such as the oil sending unit. However, he is not a professional mechanic.
Safford Fire quickly brought the blaze under control upon arrival. Nuttall’s Towing later responded and relocated the destroyed pickup closer to the residence at the request of the insurance company for inspection.
Investigators noted no evidence of foul play, and the occupants stated they were unaware of anyone who might wish them harm. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with a possible mechanical or electrical failure listed as the leading preliminary theory.
