News briefs for April 26, 2001

Thursday, April 26, 2001 | 10:43 a.m.

Metro building damaged in blaze

A fire Wednesday at the Metro Police shooting range caused an estimated $25,000 in damage to a two-story building used for SWAT training.

The fire started about 5:30 p.m. at the range complex at 7600 E. Carey Ave., east of Hollywood Boulevard, Clark County Fire Department spokesman Steve La-Sky said.

La-Sky declined comment on the specific cause of the fire but said it was accidental.

Bird's nest is the culprit

About 100 guests were evacuated from a Flamingo Road motel just east of Las Vegas Boulevard when a fire started in the three-story building's attic Wednesday night.

The two-alarm fire started about 8 p.m. at an Econo Lodge, 211 E. Flamingo Road, Clark County Fire Department spokesman Steve La-Sky said.

The fire is believed to have started in a bird's nest on the building's roof, La-Sky said. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze, which damaged four rooms.

The fire caused about $60,000 in damage and slowed traffic at Flamingo and Koval Lane for more than an hour.

Duchovny ad to air in Las Vegas

The Pew Wilderness Center unveiled a $1.2 million television advertising campaign featuring "X-Files" star David Duchovny today to raise public support for expanding and protecting the nation's wilderness.

The ad shows a family camping in a major metropolitan area on the only place left: a median of a major interstate highway. The ad will air for three weeks in 10 markets, including Las Vegas; Boise, Idaho; Denver; Des Moines, Iowa; Duluth, Minn.; Fargo, N.D.; Lincoln, Neb.; Little Rock, Ark.; St. Louis and Salt Lake City.

Team supporting anti-smoking plan

Las Vegas 51s, the Pacific Coast League baseball team, joined the Clark County Health District and Commissioner Erin Kenny Wednesday to promote a new anti-tobacco initiative.

The 51s Anti-Tobacco Program involves sending the baseball players to at least 30 schools for an assembly educating the children on the dangers of tobacco use. Each school will also receive 200 tickets for a special "Smoke Out" game at Cashman Field, where a nonsmoking policy will be enforced. During the game students will receive in-game recognition and scoreboard welcome.

Five "Smoke Out" games are scheduled for the 2001 season.

Two die in intersection crash

Two Las Vegas residents were killed in a two-vehicle accident Wednesday night at Jones Boulevard and Spring Mountain Road, Metro Police said.

An empty charter bus, driven by 52-year-old Eugene Lee of North Las Vegas, was southbound on Jones Boulevard and entered the intersection on a yellow traffic light attempting to turn left. The traffic signal turned red and the bus continued through the intersection.

A car, driven by a 37-year-old Las Vegas man, who was heading southbound on Jones Boulevard, apparently ran the red light and struck the bus with the front of his car, police said.

The man and his 42-year-old female passenger died. The bus driver was not injured, police said.

The names of the people who died were not released this morning pending positive identification and notification of their families.