Juvenile Pranks Spark Intense Blaze and Police Action in The Villages

Maricopa police responded to reports of a house fire on Donithan Way in The Villages at Rancho El Dorado on Wednesday evening, which turned out to be linked to potential criminal mischief.

Emergency services were dispatched at 6:32 p.m. following a 911 call about smoke seeping from a home. A concerned neighbor reported hearing glass break and noticed smoke, prompting immediate action.

Upon arrival, firefighters discovered the situation was not as severe as first thought. “It looked like it was just a big smoke bomb or something like that was lit off inside the house,” said Battalion Chief Will Sherwood.

While at the scene, officers detained a male suspect, placing him in handcuffs and securing him in a police vehicle. Firefighters also utilized a thermal drone to scan the attic for any remaining heat sources.

Public safety spokeswoman Monica Williams confirmed, “I can confirm there is no house fire. Our fire crews did ventilate the house to get some smoke out, but it was not a fire.”

This incident underscores the importance of community vigilance and the prompt reporting of suspicious activities.

Brian Petersheim Jr. is a crime and breaking news reporter for InMaricopa. He joined the newsroom in October 2020 and studied at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.