Media Release

 

Thursday, August 12, 2010
For Immediate Release

Contact: Tim Szymanski
Telephone: 303-2993

 

Two Alarm Fire Damages Four Las Vegas Homes

 

Incident number:  0190127         Date:  Aug. 11, 2010            Time of call: 5:44 p.m.

Time of First Unit on Scene: 5:48 p.m. (E203)       Time of Knockdown:  6:08 p.m.

Type of call:  House Fire (Four houses)

Correct address: 1412 Maenpah Way (Where fire started), 1416 Maenpah Way, 1413 Mezpah Drive, 1417 Mezpah Drive   (Vegas/Tonopah)                    CLV Ward: 5

Name: Normandy Estates                                         Parcel: 139-29-514-012
                                
Zip:   89106                       District/Phantom: 2323-29                Number of alarms:  Two

Building type: Single family-residential (all four)                Number of stories: One (all four)         

Size:  1,292, 1,643, 2,020, 1,930  sq. ft.                                        When built:  1963
                           
Construction type: Wood frame/stucco     Smoke alarms: No       Sprinklers: No        

Number of occupants:  Adults: Total 9      Teens (18-13): None       Children: None

Any injuries: None              How many : None          Type: 

Damage estimate: $200,000         Description of damage:  One house had extensive damage, one house had moderate damage, two housse had light damage mostly to exterior of home.

Cause of incident:  Witnesses say they thought a barbecue was burning behind the house at 1412 Maenpah Way. When they looked over the fence, they saw pine needles on the ground burning. One neighbor got his garden hose and started to spray water on the burning pine needles on the ground, but the fire spread rapidly to a large pine tree in the yard and started to burn fiercely, then it extended to a utility pole. The neighbor said the fire got too hot and he evacuated the four other members of his family out of the house at 1413 Mezpah Way.  His house had light damage. Two adults next door at 1417 Mezpah Way also thought it was a barbecue burning, when they looked out the window of their home, they saw the fire racing up the tree to the utility pole. Suddenly the fuse on the pole burned out (what is required to do in an emergency) shutting off power to the four homes. The occupants said the electricity went out and they left as a neighbor banged on their front door and told them to leave as their house was on fire. The house at 1417 Mezpah Way had moderate damage. The only occupants of both houses on Maenpah Way were not home, both were at work and came home after neighbors and relatives called them and told them their houses were on fire. The house at 1412 Maenpah Way (where the fire started) had extensive damage to the interior of the homes. A dog that was alone at home at the time of the fire died during the fire. There were no reported injuries.
 
American Red Cross: Yes, 9 people displaced              Pets:  Yes          Status of pets: One pet dog died during the fire.
 
General information about the incident:  No one was home where the fire originated in the backyard on the ground and then spread up the tree where it extended to four homes and a utility pole. Fire investigators believe the fire was accidental, the exact reason why the backyard started on fire could not be determined because of the extensive damage.
 
Number of Units on Scene: 22
1st Alarm:  E3,203,1,201, T3, R3,CB8, AR1, EMS15, B1,5, PIO1, 6i1, 6i5, 6i11
2nd Alarm: E6,10,50, T1, R1, AR53, 106
Number of Personnel on Scene: 55

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