Apartments damaged in fire

Friday, April 11, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

A two-alarm fire at a Las Vegas apartment complex today left several families homeless and caused an estimated $300,000 damage, Clark County Fire Department officials said.

The fire, discovered shortly after 9 a.m., started in apartment No. 102, Building 13 at 303 E. Harmon Ave. It was knocked down by 9:50 a.m., but not before it spread to four apartments and caused smoke, heat and water damage to four others in the two-story, eight-unit building.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, fire department spokesman Bob Leinbach said.

The occupant of the apartment where the fire started was at work when smoke began seeping from his unit, alerting maintenance workers who called firefighters, Leinbach said.

"It was in the middle of the complex, which made it difficult to get to," Leinbach said. "Considering that, the firefighters did a good job knocking it down as soon as they did."

Firefighters were hampered by wind and tall trees that also were ablaze. Also, the wood shake shingle roof was heavily damaged as smoke and flames shot through.

Six of the apartments had occupants and two were under renovation, Leinbach said. However, it was not immediately known how many units actually had occupants in them at the time of the blaze or how many people were evacuated from the building.

No injuries were reported to residents or firefighters.

The American Red Cross was called to the scene to help the survivors find temporary shelter.