A woman on her way to work is credited with spotting an early morning fire at a home on Ramar Road and helping residents escape.
Bullhead City Fire Marshal Jim Dykens is calling Correctional Officer S. Morrison’s actions heroic, and on Friday morning presented her with a letter of commendation, and a plaque of appreciation at a ceremony hosted by her employer, Arizona State Prison Complex Kingman.
“There were five adults, a 4-year-old girl and a dog sleeping in the residence at the time of the fire,” Dykens said. “I believe it was Officer Morrison’s quick action that saved the lives of all that lived in that house.”
Only minor injuries were reported in the wind-driven blaze reported just after 6 a.m. Feb. 9 that destroyed three structures and damaged three others on Ramar Road and just to the south on Citrus Road.
“Miss Morrison was driving to work when she saw the fire and called 911,” Dykens said. “Then she leaned on the car horn and yelled to wake the residents inside the home. The occupants of the house substantiated the fact that the automobile horn is what woke them, and got them out of the residence in time.”
Winds from the north at a sustained speed of 38 mph pushed the blaze into the home on Ramar, and the wind-whipped heat and burning embers lit trees and neighboring homes. One of the residents told firefighters the flames looked like a blowtorch.
A resident, who sustained a small cut while exiting the home, and her child were taken to the hospital to be treated for mild smoke inhalation. There were no other injuries reported, according to officials on the scene.
“In the dark, I saw the fire sort of floating in the air,” Morrison said. “When one of the residents opened sliding glass doors, I could see the fire just roll over her head and follow her inside. I got them all to come out, and put them in my car until the fire department came about three minutes later.”
All on-duty firefighters in the city responded to the blazes, and the double-wide mobile home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived, Battalion Chief Bill Kinsey said. Bullhead City Police Department officers went door to door to wake neighbors and help them escape from surrounding homes threatened by the fire.
The fire has been ruled accidental, with the most probable cause being improperly discarded smoking materials, Dykens said.
“What eats at me is whether I could have done anything else to save their home,” Morrison said. “It happened so fast. They lost everything, and literally got out with only the clothes on their backs. I want to do more to help them, and I hope the community will want to help too.”
Dykens said he believes Morrison’s quick reaction saved lives.
“Too many people wouldn’t have stopped, just called 911 and kept going,” Dykens said. “Miss Morrison went above and beyond in providing aid to the residents and their animals. I truly believe her actions are why there were no fatalities that day. Officer Morrison is a credit to her uniform, and to her organization.”
Arizona State Prison Complex warden Jeff Wrigley said, “We’re very, very proud of her. The actions taken by Miss Morrison reflect well on herself, the staff, and The Geo Group, and her assistance to the community is an inspiration.”
Morrison doesn’t think she did anything exceptional.
“I work with heroes every day,” she said. “This was just the right thing to do.”
