Bucket truck sparks fire in Yuma
YFD says boom made contact with power lines causing outage
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A bucket truck sparked a blaze and knocked out power to part of a Yuma neighborhood late Thursday morning.
The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) says crews got called to an alleyway south of W. 5th Place near S. 21st Avenue just before 11 for a report of a crane on fire. Firefighters arrived to find a tree trimmer's bucket truck in flames.
YFD says the bucket operator leaped to the ground after the fire started. He didn't get hurt. Firefighters managed to douse the flames before they spread to any homes or propery.
Fire investigators say the boom portion of the truck hit some live power lines. That not only sparked the fire, but knocked out electricity to the surrounding area, and to at least one nearby school.
YFD urges extreme caution anytime you're working around overhead powerlines.
"Situational awareness can save your life," says YFD Public Information Officer Mike Erfert.
