Pinetop, AZ -One person is dead, and another remains hospitalized following a residential structure fire early Sunday morning in Pinetop.
According to the Pinetop Fire District, firefighters were dispatched at approximately 1:48 a.m. on May 31 to the 5000 block of Apache Trail in the Pinetop Country Club. Crews from the Pinetop Fire District, assisted by Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District, arrived to find the home fully engulfed in flames and immediately began fire suppression and search operations.
Firefighters soon learned that one occupant had escaped the burning residence and sought assistance at a neighboring home. A second occupant remained unaccounted for inside.
Crews entered the structure through the rear of the residence and located the missing occupant. Firefighters removed the individual from the home and initiated life-saving measures before the victim was transported to Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center. Despite those efforts, the occupant was later pronounced deceased.
The surviving occupant was also transported for medical treatment and remains under care at another medical facility.
The Pinetop Fire District thanked Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District, the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, the Pinetop-Lakeside Police Department, and Show Low Police Department dispatchers for their assistance during the incident.
“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the family, friends, and neighbors affected by this tragedy,” the Pinetop Fire District said in a statement.
According to the preliminary investigation, electrical issues may have been the source of ignition. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
No additional information about the occupants has been released.
