Burning RV plunges from overpass into Yuma backyard, crashes into tree

Yuma County Sheriff's Office said a motorhome engulfed in flames veered off an overpass March 3, 2026, plunged into the backyard of a home in Yuma and slammed into a tree, but the family that lives there escaped unharmed. Emergency crews arrived to find the RV fully involved in fire dangerously close to the residence.

The sheriff’s office provided the sequence: the motorhome caught fire while traveling on the overpass, then veered off the roadway and plunged into the yard below, where it struck a tree. Responders described the vehicle as engulfed in flames when it left the overpass and hit the property.

Firefighters prioritized protecting the house once they reached the scene, encountering a “fully involved” vehicle fire adjacent to the home. “When we got here, the motor home was fully involved, and so at that point, well, the motor home is a write-off, but we want to save the house,” said a fire official at the scene. “As you can tell, the house did have some damage, and that is the main thing we focus on—to keep the house safe.”

The blaze left the motorhome with significant fire damage and produced visible effects on the property: melted containers in the yard, a window shattered by the pressure of intense heat, and scorch marks on the house and surrounding area. Officials said the outdoor area was damaged and that the house sustained some damage, though the family remained uninjured.

Rural Metro provided social-media updates from the scene that were used in early reporting, offering on-scene information as firefighters worked to control the blaze. Responders did not report any injuries to residents or crew at the scene; authorities confirmed the family escaped without harm.

Several key details remain unreported: officials have not released a precise cause for the motorhome fire, the identity of the motorhome’s driver or owner, whether the vehicle was occupied when it caught fire, the exact street address of the damaged home, or any estimate of monetary losses. Yuma County investigators and fire officials have not yet provided a timeline for their follow-up findings.

The image left at the scene—an autoworked motorhome described as “a write-off,” melted household containers, a shattered window from heat pressure, and scorch marks on the house—serves as a vivid reminder of how closely the residence came to more severe damage. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the blaze and the overpass plunge.