A two-alarm fire in a northwest Las Vegas condo complex late Monday night sent two women to the hospital suffering from injuries during the fire. Three children were treated on the scene for smoke inhalation and released, another man was suffering from slight smoke inhalation, but he refused to be treated. The American Red Cross is assisting two adults and the three children with temporary housing. The cause of the fire is undetermined.
Fire dispatchers received multiple calls that a garage in a condo building at the Desert Pine Villas, 3905 Lazy Pine Street, was on fire at 8:46 p.m. When firefighters arrived, heavy flames were coming out the garage of the two-story wood-frame/stucco building. Firefighters were also told that at least four people had jumped from a second story bedroom window to escape the fire.
Firefighters found that a mother, in her 30's, and her three children, ranging in age from 10 to 14 years, had jumped from the second story window. The children were suffering from slight smoke inhalation and were treated by paramedics on scene and then released to relatives. Their mother suffered a possible fractured leg from the fall and was transported to University Medical Center. Her mother was also in the condo at the time of fire, but she exited through the front door. She was also transported to the hospital for breathing difficulties. Another man, who was attempting to put the fire out, was suffering from slight smoke inhalation, but he refused medical treatment.
The occupants told fire investigators they were asleep on the second floor of the condo when the smoke alarm activated. The mother got up to investigate and when she went downstairs, she saw smoke entering the condo from around the door that entered the garage from the living room (on the first floor). She went back upstairs and alerted the other family members, four of them jumped; the fifth went out the front door.
The fire gutted the garage and destroyed a late model car in the garage. Another condo unit, that was directly above the garage door, had some minor fire damage around the window. Both units had minor smoke damage. Damage was estimated at $200,000.
Fire investigators believe the fire started in the car parked in the garage, then spread to the rest of the garage. The exact cause of the fire could not be determined because of the destruction.
The fire brought approximately 20 fire units with 60 firefighters to the scene. They were concerned the fire might spread through interior walls of the building so additional crews were dispatched.
