On December 26, 2012, at about 5:25 p.m., deputies with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in Green Valley responded to a reported fire at the Del Coronado Apartments at 1919 N. La Canada Drive, Green Valley, Arizona.
When deputies entered the building through the main doors, they immediately noted smoke billowing down the hallway and heard several of the residents calling for help. Deputies Jonathon Siress and John George described the scene as heavy, thick, black smoke coming from inside one of the apartments. They began evacuating the affected wing of the building and then put out the fire using a fire extinguisher.
As there was still a substantial buildup of smoke inside the building, they continued evacuation procedures. Some of the elderly residents had to use walkers and canes to exit the building.
Once the fire department arrived on scene, they took over and rendered the situation safe. It was later determined that the fire originated on a stove top inside one of the apartments. Three of the four burners of the stove had been left on and an item sitting on top of the stove eventually caught fire.
Nobody suffered any injuries and the fire was deemed accidental.