LV woman who dies in blaze believed to be smoking in bed

Jace Radke

Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002 | 8:55 a.m.

A 50-year-old Las Vegas woman killed in an apartment fire that officials say was started by her smoking in bed was identified today as Dayle Dearkland, the Clark County Coroner's office said.

Dearkland died Wednesday in the fire that started about 1 p.m. at the Monterey Park II Apartments, 5331 Pioneer Ave., north of Spring Mountain Road off Lindell Road, Clark County Fire Department spokesman Bob Leinbach said. The woman was found dead in her bathroom.

"She may have been disorientated by the smoke and the poisonous gases from the fire," Leinbach said. "At some point she went into the bathroom, maybe thinking it was the way out."

The fire caused about $15,000 in damage to Dearkland's downstairs apartment and to a neighbor's upstairs residence, Leinbach said.

Firefighters arrived at the apartment complex and were able to put the fire out in about 15 minutes.

"A neighbor told firefighters that she was worried the victim might be home, because her car was in its parking space," Leinbach said. "The firefighters went into the apartment and found that the smoke was already down to knee level. They found her in the bathroom, but she was already gone."

Fire officials said it appears that Dearkland had been smoking in bed and died from smoke inhalation. A dead cat was also found in the apartment, Leinbach said.

Neighbors in the complex said Dearkland moved into the complex about six months ago from California.

The complex has smoke detectors, but it was unclear if the one in the victim's apartment went off.

"It was melted, and we're not sure if anyone heard it," Leinbach said. "The upstairs neighbor heard some crackling and smelled some smoke."

The two people who live upstairs were relocated to another apartment in the complex, Leinbach said.

Sun reporter Ed Koch contributed to this report.