A 1-month-old was tossed from the second floor of an apartment complex that caught fire Monday that injured three people and killed a pet dog.
Fire crews were called around 3:10 p.m. to a fire at an apartment at 2921 Elm Ave. near Eastern and Stewart avenues, said Tim Szymanski, spokesman for Las Vegas Fire & Rescue.
The fire started in the storage room of a second-floor apartment unit and was discovered by a mother and her 11-year-old daughter, Szymanski said.
When the 11-year-old detected the fire, she grabbed her 1-year-old brother and fled the apartment, Szymanski said.
The 11-year-old suffered burns on her arms and the 1-year-old was burned on his legs and torso, Szymanski said. The two were taken to University Medical Center for treatment.
While the 11-year-old was rescuing her brother, the mother and father were trying to escape the blaze with their 1-month-old girl, Szymanski said.
Neighbors gathered around the residence and encouraged the parents to jump from the burning home, Szymanski said.
A neighbor caught the newborn, who was tossed down to the crowd before the parents both jumped, he said. The mother suffered a sprained ankle in the incident and was also taken to the hospital.
The sixth member of the family, an 8-year-old boy, was walking home during the incident and witnessed the four fire engines and five ambulances responding to the apartment, Szymanski said.
Red Cross is assisting the family of six whose home was destroyed as well as the six people living in units on the first floor of the complex whose homes suffered water and smoke damage, Szymanski said.
The fire caused an estimated $50,000 in damage; it remains under investigation, Szymanski said.
Copyright 2012 - Las Vegas Sun
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
