Fire destroys Lotus awaiting auction

Keith Paul

Wednesday, April 3, 2002 | 10:10 a.m.

The carburetor in a 1978 Lotus sparked a fire in the Imperial Palace parking garage Tuesday morning that destroyed the car and damaged a nearby Rolls-Royce and a Porsche.

Clark County firefighters put out the blaze on the fourth floor of the garage before the fire spread to other expensive cars parked nearby for an upcoming auction at the Strip hotel, said Don Williams, partner in the Auto Collections, which is putting on the yearly auction.

"We were really lucky. Those firefighters were great," he said. "You can't give them enough accolades."

The 10 a.m. fire was quickly extinguished once firefighters were able to pull hoses up to the burning car, said Bob Leinbach, a fire department spokesman.

An employee who tried to put out the blaze with a fire extinguisher was treated for smoke inhalation, Leinbach said.

Williams said the Lotus Espirit, worth about $25,000, was the only car destroyed. It was owned by a friend of his brought to the hotel for the auction on April 20 and 21. The Rolls, which is owned by Williams, and a Porsch 911, were damaged.

Williams said the damage to his car was repairable, adding that "I've done more damage running into a pole."

None of the classic cars used for various shows at the hotel was damaged. They are kept on the fifth floor of the parking garage.