Fire breaks out at Tempe home just hours after police end standoff, cause unclear

Tempe Fire Medical Rescue is investigating a residential fire that broke out early Tuesday morning at a home, just hours after a homeowner barricaded himself inside to fend off police, officials said.

The fire occurred at a residence near McClintock and Watson drives, hours after a Mesa Police Department operation at the same home.

Earlier in the evening, Mesa police responded to a barricade situation, where three people were arrested on multiple felony and misdemeanor warrants, according to authorities.

That standoff ended shortly after 2 a.m., and the property was returned to the owner.

Tempe fire crews return just 2 hours later

Just after 4 a.m., Tempe Fire crews returned to the home after neighbors reported an odor. Crews located a small area of burned material in the attic, removed it and extinguished it.

A Tempe Fire investigator remained on scene. Just before 6 a.m., while conducting the investigation, light smoke was again coming from the attic. Additional fire department resources were sent over.

Within minutes, the fire spread through the attic space and the call changed to a working house fire.

Firefighters worked to contain and extinguish the blaze. No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported.

The cause of the has not been determined, officials said.

Due to the unusual circumstances around the fire, Tempe called in multiple agencies. Mesa Police Department, Mesa Fire and Medical Department, Tempe Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are all involved in the ongoing investigation.

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