Tammy Dodson, 58, died 10 days after suffering severe burns when gasoline was allegedly used to reignite a backyard fire.
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. — A 58-year-old Prescott Valley woman died after suffering severe burns in a backyard fire pit incident involving gasoline, according to her family and local authorities, as police continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the Sept. 24 fire.
Tammy Dodson died Oct. 4 at a Phoenix burn center, 10 days after emergency crews were called to a home on Tracy Drive. Her death came one day before her 59th birthday. Prescott Valley officials said the injuries occurred while someone was attempting to reignite a fire pit, while Dodson’s relatives have said her boyfriend poured gasoline onto the dwindling fire before an explosion occurred.
Prescott Valley police and Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority crews responded at about 10:45 p.m. Sept. 24 after receiving a report of a person with serious burns. Officers found a badly injured woman in the backyard, according to police information reported by local news outlets. Dodson was flown to a Phoenix-area burn center for treatment. A man at the property also suffered injuries but was not taken to a hospital, authorities said.
Dodson’s sister told Arizona’s Family that Dodson and her boyfriend had been sitting near a small, elevated metal fire pit in the backyard when the fire began to die down. She said Dodson’s boyfriend picked up a gas can and poured gasoline onto the fire in an attempt to reignite it. The sister said an explosion followed and the gas can was thrown onto a nearby roof. Police have not released a complete reconstruction of the incident or independently confirmed every detail of the family’s account.
FOX 10 Phoenix reported that Dodson suffered burns over 53% of her body and remained intubated during nearly 10 days of treatment at the Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health. Her family said she underwent multiple surgeries and skin-grafting procedures as doctors worked to treat the injuries.
Dodson’s condition later worsened, according to relatives who spoke with FOX 10. Family members said she developed a serious infection and other medical complications while hospitalized. They ultimately decided to stop life-sustaining treatment after doctors discussed her prognosis. Dodson died Oct. 4 with relatives nearby.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Dodson’s death accidental and listed the cause as complications of thermal injuries, according to Arizona’s Family. The outlet reported that the medical examiner’s report was not yet complete. The ruling addresses the medical manner and cause of death but does not resolve the separate police investigation into how the fire occurred.
Dodson worked in health care and had recently served as a certified nursing assistant within the Veterans Affairs health care system, according to her family. Relatives described her as a devoted mother and grandmother. She had two children and three young grandchildren, Arizona’s Family reported.
Family members have publicly expressed grief and anger over the circumstances of the fire. Dodson’s sister told Arizona’s Family that she wanted others to understand the danger of adding gasoline or other flammable liquids to a fire. The family also established an online fundraiser to help with medical and memorial expenses.
Prescott Valley police have not publicly identified the injured man at the property or announced any criminal charges. Authorities have also not released a final investigative finding explaining precisely how the fire spread or whether anyone will face criminal liability.
The investigation remained active as of Oct. 17. Police have not announced additional arrests, charges or a final determination beyond confirming that the injuries occurred while someone was attempting to reignite the fire pit.
Author note: Last updated October 17, 2026.