A 79-year-old woman called 911 to report her home was on fire. When authorities arrived, the house was fully engulfed in flames.
YAVAPAI COUNTY, Ariz. — The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office is working to identify a body recovered from the scene of a house fire in Wilhoit.
On Saturday, a 79-year-old woman called 911 to report her home was on fire. By the time police arrived, the house was fully engulfed in flames and the structure was ultimately destroyed.
YCSO said one body, believed to be the homeowner, was found in the rubble.
The fire is believed to have started in a nearby shed where a number of butane, paint and other containers were stored.
Neighbors told YCSO the homeowner lived alone and had some mobility issues. Investigators are working to identify the body and identify next of kin.
YCSO does not suspect foul play.
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix metropolitan area, considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
Besides Phoenix, the Valley also includes other major cities such as:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempeh
- Glendale
- surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or the “West Valley” depends on where it is located in relation to Phoenix.
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the Valley region's cities have a combined population of 4,845,832, making it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country, behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?
According to the 2020 census, Maricopa County has a population of 4,485,414, making it the fourth most populous county in the United States.
The county is home to approximately 63% of Arizona's population and covers an area of 9,224 square miles, which means the county is larger than seven U.S. states: Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Maricopa County is also home to one of the largest park systems in the country. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks, including hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers, campgrounds, and more.
The county seat is Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the fifth most populous city in the United States according to the census.
The county was named for a Native American tribe called the Maricopa or Piipache.
