On Friday, June 5, at 7:27 a.m. Sedona Fire District was dispatched to the 300 block of Acacia Drive in the Chapel area for a reported structure fire. Black smoke could be seen as far away as West Sedona.
A roofing contractor working at the site reported the fire when their tar pot malfunctioned and caught on fire. Two nearby vehicles and a portion of the house they were working on quickly caught fire as well. The fire also spread into some nearby brush and was beginning to burn a neighboring home.
One roofer was trapped on the roof for a short time when the fire grew too big for him to escape as the ladder to the roof had been placed near the tar pot.
“The smoke column was very impressive and was visible from quite a distance,” Fire Marshal Jon Davis said.
Fire crews quickly went to work protecting the structures and confining the fire.
“Our firefighters did an amazing job in handling this situation,” Davis said. “Upon arrival they had two structures, two vehicles, a piece of portable equipment and a brush fire to contend with, all at the same time.”
Fire investigators have determined that the malfunction of the tar pot heating system is the likely cause of the fire, but the investigation remains open to determine the exact cause.
“We will be doing an in-depth examination of the tar pot in the next couple of days, after it has had a chance to cool down,” Davis said.
Damage to the original structure is estimated at $100,000. The two vehicles and tar pot are total losses with damage estimated at $50,000. Damage to the neighboring structure is estimated at $5,000.
No injuries were reported. SFD crews remained on scene for approximately four hours.
