PHOENIX — Three firefighters were hospitalized after a fast-moving, wind-driven fire ignited at a junkyard in west Phoenix Wednesday afternoon, according to Phoenix Fire.
Phoenix firefighters were dispatched to the blaze near 27th Avenue and Buckeye Road just before 3 p.m. for reports of a grass fire that may have spread to a fence nearby.
When fire crews arrived, they were met with heavy smoke and flames. Officials said due to high winds the fire quickly spread to nearby industrial properties and the incident was upgraded to a fourth-alarm fire.
A neighbor showed 12News surveillance video that captured the moments before the fire started. A dust devil could be seen forming in the APS station dirt lot near 31st Avenue and Sherman Street, the wind picked up and a piece of metal went flying into the air. The metal piece touched one of the electrical wires and fell to the ground, then flames quickly spark near a shed structure.
Crews eventually got the large blaze under control and will work throughout the night to put out hot spots.
Phoenix firefighters said six people were displaced from their mobile homes and four structures had been destroyed.
The fire department said two firefighters were transported to the hospital for heat-related symptoms and the other suffered a "soft tissue injury."
Over 100 firefighters fought the flames in 108-degree weather. They also had problems getting enough water.
“The fire hydrants that we have couldn’t supply or support our fire hoses and then we were experiencing some hydrants that were failing, or not providing any water,” Captain Pacheco told 12News on the scene as the fire was still active.
Angel Antonio Acevedo Hernandez and his family helped firefighters cool off in their home. They brought out a cooler and filled it with ice, water, and Gatorade.
Acevedo Hernandez is a construction worker. He said he understands how difficult it is to work in extreme heat, that’s why he also set up a cooling fan and misters for firefighters.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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How big is Maricopa County?:
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.