Photos: South Tucson Residents Displaced after Spanish Trail Motel Fire
More than 60 firefighters from Tucson, South Tucson and Northwest fire departments responded to a 3-alarm fire in South Tucson Monday evening. A fire at the Spanish Trail Motel jumped to the Spanish Trail Suites, destroying 30 units and displacing 73 residents.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
Cornelius Eursey watches the action as firefighters from the Tucson, South Tucson and Northwest fire departments battle a three-alarm fire at the Spanish Trail Motel in the 300 block of E. Benson Highway on June 15, 2020. Eursey is a resident of Spanish Trail Suites and was evacuated with all the other residents.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
Residents of the Spanish Trail Suites were evacuated from their apartments after the Spanish Trail Motel caught fire in the 300 block of E. Benson Highway on June 15, 2020.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
Two Sun Tran busses were brought to the scene of a three-alarm fire near the Spanish Trail Motel in the 300 block of E. Benson Highway on June 15, 2020 for residents from Spanish Trail Suites to sit in some air-conditioning waiting to be allowed back into their homes.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
Thomas Chase, far right, says a police officer banged on his door to evacuate him and other residents from the Spanish Trail Suites due to a three-alarm fire at the Spanish Trail Motel in the 300 block of E. Benson Highway on June 15, 2020. Chase sits inside of the Sun Tran busses brought in to give residents a place to cool off as they wait to return to their homes.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
Ken Shugart, left, and Joseph Acey were evacuated from their apartments at the Spanish Trail Suites when the Spanish Trail Motel in the 300 block of E. Benson Highway caught on fire on June 15, 2020. Some residents waited to see if they would be let back into their homes.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
A couple watches as firefighters from the Tucson, South Tucson and Northwest fire departments battle a three-alarm fire at the Spanish Trail Motel in the 300 block of E. Benson Highway on on June 15, 2020. Residents from the nearby Spanish Trail Suites had to be evacuated.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
Joseph Acey sits with his dog, Coffee, and waits as firefighters from Tucson, South Tucson and Northwest fire departments battle a three-alarm fire at the Spanish Trail Motel in the 300 block of E. Benson Highway on June 15, 2020.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
Officers from the South Tucson Police Department stand along S. 4th Ave. as firefighters from Tucson, South Tucson and Northwest fire departments respond to a three-alarm fire behind the Spanish Trail Suites in the 300 block of E. Benson Highway on June 15, 2020.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
Residents of the Spanish Trail Suites were evacuated from their apartments after the Spanish Trail Motel caught fire in the 300 block of E. Benson Highway on June 15, 2020. Tucson, South Tucson and Northwest fire departments responded to the three-alarm fire. Residents waited outside in the heat to be notified if they could return to their apartment.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
A firefighter from the Tucson Fire Department stands in the bucket and looks down on the fire at the Spanish Trail Motel in the 300 block of E. Benson Highway on June 15, 2020.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
A section of apartments at the Spanish Trail Suites were damaged due to a fire at the Spanish Trail Motel in the 300 block of E. Benson Highway on Monday evening. Tucson, South Tucson and Northwest fire departments responded to the three-alarm fire which left 73 residents displaced. June 16, 2020.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
Tommy McDonald salvages whatever he can from the apartment he shared with his wife on June 16, 2020 at the Spanish Trail Suites at 305 E. Benson Highway. A fire broke out at the neighboring Spanish Trail Motel Monday evening and jumped to the apartment complex. McDonald says he had just moved in 10 days prior and lost his dog, Nala, in the blaze.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
Tommy McDonald salvages whatever he can from the apartment he shared with his wife on June 16, 2020 at the Spanish Trail Suites at 305 E. Benson Highway. A fire broke out at the neighboring Spanish Trail Motel Monday evening and jumped to the apartment complex. McDonald says he had just moved in 10 days prior and lost his dog, Nala, in the blaze.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
A section of apartments at the Spanish Trail Suites were damaged due to a fire at the Spanish Trail Motel in the 300 block of E. Benson Highway on Monday evening. Tucson, South Tucson and Northwest fire departments responded to the three-alarm fire. June 16, 2020.
Spanish Trail Motel Fire
Fire damage at the Spanish Trail Motel in the 300 block of E. Benson Highway on June 16, 2020. Tucson, South Tucson and Northwest fire departments responded to a three-alarm fire at the motel, which jumped to the Spanish Trail Suites and displaced over 70 residents.
Mamta Popat
Photojournalist
More than 60 firefighters, many from the Northwest and Tucson fire departments, spent nearly three hours bringing the blaze under control, officials said.