Alterra fire legal probe
Alterra House Fire Investigation: Uncovering Answers While Sparking New Mysteries
![MFMD Fire Captain Michael Curto carries an injured cat out of an Alterra housefire before crews put an oxygen mask on the cat. April 8, 2025. On top: Snippets from a fire investigation report. [Brian Petersheim Jr./MFMD/graphic]](https://arizonanews.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Alterra-House-Fire-Investigation-Uncovering-Answers-While-Sparking-New-Mysteries.png)
A fire investigation has been launched following a house fire in Alterra that left a family displaced last month. The incident, occurring on April 8, has attracted the attention of a national law firm representing a microwave manufacturer.
Dean Grgas, an attorney with Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker, based in New York with offices in Phoenix, has requested all documentation related to the fire from the City of Maricopa. In a communication, he noted their representation of a consumer product manufacturer allegedly implicated in the fire. Grgas described the matter as being tied to insurance but opted not to comment further when contacted.
The blaze erupted in a residence on Carmen Avenue, with initial reports suggesting that the plastic casing of a microwave may have ignited after being left unattended. The official cause is still under investigation, and details were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Emergency services received a 911 call at 4:43 p.m. reporting the fire. The situation escalated to a house fire as the caller communicated issues with the home’s fire extinguisher and the spread of flames to nearby cabinets. Fire crews, facing delays due to overlapping EMS calls, arrived to find heavy smoke and fire venting from the attic.
Firefighters quickly worked to contain the blaze while conducting searches for occupants. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. A cat, covered in soot, was rescued and treated with oxygen outside the home. Initially, there were concerns about the fate of the cat and another pet.
Homeowner Maria Rosales confirmed in a brief interview that everyone in the household escaped unharmed, and both pets survived. “The animals are OK, we are OK,” she stated.
The fire was extinguished by 5:15 p.m., with fire crews clearing the scene around 7 p.m. Damage has been estimated at $15,000.
As of now, the house remains sealed off with caution tape, showing little change since the fateful night of the fire.
