The building was surrounded by vegetation on fire when a team of "helitack" firefighters arrived to protect the area on Tuesday. Grand Canyon National Park officials said the crews knew if the pump house fell, the consequences could cripple park operations for months.

Arizona's governor has demanded an investigation into why a wildfire that destroyed a historic lodge and dozens of other structures on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon was allowed to burn for a week before federal firefighters tried to put it out.

Arizona's senators and governor have raised questions about the initial firefighting tactics used against the wildfire that started July 4 with a lightning

The Dragon Bravo Fire started on July 4 and was managed at first as a controlled burn. Then the wind picked up, and it quickly became uncontrollable.

As of Monday, the Dragon Bravo fire on the North Rim had consumed more than 5,700 acres and was not contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service.