Five people were displaced from their east side home, after a fire that started in the bathroom exhaust fan spread to other parts of the residence, authorities said.
Tucson Fire Department responded to a 911 call regarding a house fire in the 9200 block of East Stella Road, shortly before 7 p.m. Monday, and discovered smoke coming from what appeared to be the cooler on the roof, said department spokesman, Capt. Barrett Baker.
A woman who lived in the home smelled the smoke and heard the smoke alarm, and was able to get everyone out of the house safely before fire crews arrived, Baker said.
After entering the home, firefighters encountered heavy smoke and found flames in the bathroom ceiling area, surrounding the exhaust fan. After extinguishing the fire, they pulled down the drywall around the fan to make sure there were no remaining hotspots in the space between the ceiling and the roof, Baker said.
Twenty-three firefighters responded and brought the blaze under control in 12 minutes, Baker said.
The displaced residents include a 76-year-old female, 54-year-old male, 44-year-old male, 17-year-old male and 6-year old female. They did not need assistance from Red Cross, Baker said.
The cause of the fire was determined to be an electrical malfunction in the bathroom fan, but the estimated cost of the damage had not been determined.
