Woman killed in blaze at home

Jace Radke

Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2001 | 9:58 a.m.

Metro Police homicide detectives and Las Vegas Fire Department officials are investigating a blaze that broke out in a northwest Las Vegas home Tuesday afternoon, killing a 56-year-old woman.

Investigators are looking into whether the victim, Verlene Ayers, may have been smoking near an oxygen tank that she used for medical reasons, fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

Family members told investigators that Ayers had in the past been caught smoking cigarettes while hooked up to her oxygen canister, Szymanski said.

The fire started about 3:30 p.m. at 309 Duke Circle near Washington Avenue and Torrey Pines Drive. The victim's 30-year-old daughter had smelled smoke inside the home, and when she went downstairs to investigate she found her mother on the basement floor. The woman's clothes were on fire, Szymanski said.

"The daughter dragged the mother to the stairs but was unable to lift her up the stairs," Szymanski said.

The daughter then grabbed her 5-year-old son and escaped from the house, Szymanski said. Neighbors tried to get inside to help the victim, but the smoke and flames were too thick, Szymanski said.

Firefighters pulled the victim out, but she was not breathing and didn't have a pulse. She was taken to Valley Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The daughter and three neighbors, two men and a 9-year-old boy who tried to extinguish the fire, were taken to University Medical Center, where they were treated for smoke inhalation.

The victim lived in the home's basement, which had been made into an apartment for her. She suffered from a number of medical complications, Szymanski said.

The home suffered about $50,000 in damage.

The American Red Cross is assisting the two adults and three children who lived in the home in helping them find temporary shelter.