Woman who had left homeless life behind dies in trailer fire

Keith Paul

Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2002 | 10:13 a.m.

Linda Klaff's life was turning around. About two months after being found cold, crying and homeless on the streets of downtown Las Vegas, she had a place to stay and food to eat.

Arthur Lucero and his family let her stay in a small trailer next to their home. Klaff, 43, was starting to get money from Social Security and was taking her medication, Lucero said.

But Monday Lucero was called out of his home on Walnut Road near Lake Mead Boulevard about 11:15 a.m. by a neighbor saying the trailer was on fire.

"There was so much flame and smoke, I thought maybe she wasn't in there. Maybe she had gone to the store," Lucero said.

But Clark County firefighters found Klaff dead inside. Hers is the county's fifth fire-related death this year. Investigators determined a space heater -- either placed too close to something or with clothing placed over it -- was the cause of the blaze, said Bob Leinbach, county fire department spokesman.

Jerry Sharp was driving by on his way to get lunch when he saw the smoke and pulled over to see if he could help.

"They said she was still inside. I did what I could," he said. "I broke a window, but I couldn't get in, and I couldn't see anything inside."

Sharp then moved the propane tanks away from the trailer, but he was frustrated that he wasn't able to get to the woman.

"It wasn't enough to save her," he said.

The monetary damage was placed at about $5,000, but Lucero and his family lost a woman who was quickly becoming more than just a person in need of help.

"We were getting to know her better and better," Lucero said. "We were getting to be better and better friends. She was almost like a part of our family now."

About two months ago a man who Lucero had helped brought Klaff to his home saying she also needed a hand. The trailer wasn't luxurious, but it was warm and dry.

"I let her stay here to keep her out of the cold," he said. "You can't help every homeless person, but I could help one. I just wanted to help her get on her feet and get her own place."

Klaff didn't talk much about how she became homeless in Las Vegas. She was from Illinois and didn't talk about how or why she came here. She had some mental health problems, but was taking her medication and started to talk with her parents.

"We found out about her little by little," Lucero said. "At first she kept to herself, but then she would get things for the grandkids. She was very appreciative about being helped."

Lucero's son, Fernie Lucero, said his children were getting to know her and were in the house at the time of the fire in the trailer. He got them out of the area and had to find a way to tell them the lady that had helped with a recent birthday party was dead.

"She was such a nice person," he said.

Leinbach said the five fire-related deaths this year are just about the total for all of last year. He said there were no connections between the deaths this year.

The fatal fires include two people killed in separate fires caused by smoking, a homeless man who died after his makeshift shelter was ignited by a candle, and the Moapa Justice of the Peace who died in a fire that is still being investigated.