PIRTLEVILLE, Ariz. (KGUN) — Cochise County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) is investigating an arson in Pirtleville, just west of Douglas.
The fire destroyed multiple structures on Wednesday. Officials with the CCSO say the woman was home at the time this fire started, and she told people on scene that she started the fire because she needed help and was having a mental health crisis.
CCSO Detective Todd Borquez, says an arson investigator was on scene Wednesday.
"How she explained she set the fire, (the arson investigator) was able to confirm the origin and cause,” he said.
The woman who lived in the house is and has been receiving treatment for mental health concerns.
“The CCSO deputies and sergeants were able to ascertain that there was a behavioral health component to this call, (so) they reached out to us,” said Alana Burnacini, manager of behavioral health programs for CCSO.
The Care Team aides local law enforcement in cases that involve people with behavioral health concerns, whether they’re diagnosed or not.
"Behavioral health doesn't look any one way, and for any community member that's experiencing a behavioral health symptom or a behavioral health crisis, that's very personal for them,” Burnacini said.
The Care Team connects people with resources to help prevent them from calling 9-1-1 in non-emergency situations. Burnacini says often times the repeat callers need some sort of help to get connected to resources, whether it's for mental health or food stability.
“We exist as an asset and a service within 911,” Burnacini said. “Our main goal is to reduce or eliminate some of the behavioral health components that get people in a position to call 911, in the first place.”
Officials with CCSO say they did receive 9-1-1 calls to the house that was set on fire earlier this week, but CCSO couldn’t execute a welfare check because no one was home when they got there.
"It's also very important that folks know that every single 911 call that comes into the dispatch system gets a response,” Burnacini said.
Borquez says the investigation is still ongoing, and no charges have been filed.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
