Child Starts Fire in Las Vegas Apartment Closet

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Las Vega firefighters responded to an apartment fire in the Cedar Ridge apartments at 9:55 a.m. on January 28th, 2012.  On arrival light smoke was coming from a downstairs apartment in the two story wood frame/stucco building with eight units.  When firefighters entered the apartment at 514 Wardelle Street (Eastern/Bonanza) it was full of black smoke.            

Firefighters found a fire in a closet of a rear bedroom.  Once in the room, the fire was extinguished within two minutes.  The fire gutted the bedroom and caused smoke damage throughout the rest of the unit.  Damage was estimated at $10,000.            

Fire investigators determined it was started by a child playing with matches in the closet.            

Five children and their mother were home when the fire started.  The mother told investigators she began to smell smoke and the smoke alarm in the hallway activated.  She went to the rear bedroom and found the fire in the closet.  She tried putting the fire out using a bucket of water, but was not successful.  She got her five children, age seven months to seven years and evacuated the apartment.  Once outside  she called 9-1-1and reported the fire.  While waiting for the fire department, one of her children told her what had happened.             

The American Red Cross is assisting the family of two adults and five children.  There were no injuries in connection with the fire.



Author:Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Press Release