Grandmother burned to death after boyfriend poured gasoline on fire pitReanna Smith Tue, October 13, 2026 at 11:51 AM UTC
Tammy Dodson suffered 'catastrophic injuries' in the explosion (Image: GoFundMe)Tammy Dodson was found lying on the ground with ‘catastrophic injuries' and unable to speak after her boyfriend sparked an explosion
A beloved grandmother died after her boyfriend poured gasoline on an outdoor firepit, sparking an explosion that left her with "catastrophic injuries."
Tammy Dodson, 58, was found lying in her backyard in Prescott Valley, Arizona, on September 24 suffering from extreme burns and unable to speak after the gas explosion. First responders rushed to her home at around 10.45pm following a 911 call reporting a burn victim, according to Prescott Valley Police Department and the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority.
The grandmother died 10 days after the horrifying incident. Prior to her death, which came just a day before her 59th birthday, she had been intubated at a Phoenix burn center with burns covering her body.
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Tammy's sister, Tina Carl, said the grandmother had been spending time with her boyfriend around a firepit in their backyard when the explosion happened. Tina described it as a small, elavated metal fire pit.
The grandmother died 10 days after the incident (Image: GoFundMe)
She said that when the fire began to dwindle, Dodson's boyfriend, who has not been identified, grabbed a gas canister and poured it onto the fire in an attempt to reignite it.
Tina said that this sparked an explosion that saw the gas can shoot onto a neighbor's roof while Tammy was engulfed in flames.
"I don't want anybody ever to throw gasoline or igniting sources onto fires," Tina told AZFamily. "That's just beyond my comprehension; it's just beyond it."
"I'm very angry; she should not have been taken from us the way she was," she added. Prescott Valley officials confirmed that the incident happened as a result of someone attempting to reignite a fire pit.
Officials said Tammy's boyfriend also sustained injuries, but he was not hospitalized. Tammy's death was ruled accidental, due to "complications of thermal injuries," according to a report by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's office.
Tammy's family have been left heartbroken (Image: GoFundMe)
However, the report is not complete and authorties are still investigating the incident. Tammy's relatives described her as "the light of our family" as they paid tribute to her on a GoFundMe page.
"Our family is heartbroken to share that we lost Tammy Dodson on October 4th after she suffered catastrophic burns and injuries caused by another person's actions involving gasoline and a fire.Tammy fought for ten days after the incident, enduring more than anyone should ever have to go through while our family stayed by her side, held onto hope, and prayed for her to make a recovery," the fundraiser description reads.
It continues: "Tammy truly was the light of our family. She was vibrant, beautiful, loving, and had a way of bringing so much life wherever she went. She was a mom, a grandma, a sister, and an aunt, and a friend to so many.
"Her children and grandchildren meant everything to her. She did so much for them and was such a big part of their lives. She also spent her career caring for others as a CNA at the VA which speaks volumes about who she was."
The family have raised more than $5,000 so far. They said that funds will go directly to Tammy's niece, Sherry Morean, who is helping her children, Kenny and Heather Dodson, to handle expenses and arrangements following her passing.
Source: Crime