Yuma fire displaces pregnant mother of five, family seeks help

An Easter fire in Yuma left Xenia Hirales, who is pregnant and caring for five children, trying to rebuild after her family says the blaze wiped out clothes, important documents and the basics of daily life. The household was left displaced and asking for help after the fire turned a normal home into a sudden housing emergency.

Yuma firefighters responded about 5 p.m. Saturday, April 4, 2026, to 160 N. 19th Avenue for a possible trailer fire in the area of First Street and 19th Avenue. Crews found smoke coming from the mobile home, entered through an unlocked rear door after getting no response at the front, and found the fire in a bedroom. Firefighters quickly extinguished it and kept it from spreading beyond the bedroom and its contents. No injuries were reported.

The residents were not home when the fire started and arrived shortly after crews were on scene. The City of Yuma Fire Department said the American Red Cross was contacted to help two adults and five children who were displaced, and the cause remained under investigation.

For Hirales and her family, the damage went beyond burned walls and smoke. The family said the fire happened over Easter, adding to the emotional toll, and that they lost everything they needed to get through the day, including clothing and papers. A fundraiser created by Summer Rain Martinez-Hirales says the family needs help replacing clothing, diapers and wipes, along with support finding a new place to live.

The case shows how fast one house fire can push a Yuma family into housing insecurity, especially when a parent is expecting another child and trying to care for five children at once. The City of Yuma Fire Department says it provides fire suppression, emergency medical response, rescue and community risk-reduction services around the clock, and it also maintains a fire-origin-and-cause investigation process for incidents like this one.