Woman survives apartment fire, but cat dies in flames

Friday, Jan. 10, 2003 | 9:15 a.m.

A cat died Thursday morning in an apartment fire near Swenson Street and Desert Inn Road that appears to have been caused by a lamp that fell on a bed.

The Clark County Fire Department received the call at about 11:45 a.m. When firefighters arrived at the Clock Towers apartment building at 725 Sierra Vista Drive, they found heavy smoke coming from a one-bedroom apartment, county fire department spokesman Bob Leinbach said.

The female resident's hair was singed, he said. There were no other injuries. The woman had three cats; one died, one was rescued and one is missing, Leinbach said. About 50 people were evacuated.

About $60,000 in damage was caused, and the resident lost valuable collectibles in the blaze.

Another fire broke out at about 1 p.m. near the Stratosphere. Tim Szymanski, a Las Vegas fire department spokesman, said firefighters found columns of black smoke and heavy flames blowing out of an apartment window at 239 W. New York Ave. near West Wyoming Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard.

The fire gutted the apartment, causing an estimated $10,000 in damage.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Szymanski said the female occupant of the apartment first made statements that someone set her home on fire, but fire investigators could not find anyone who saw anyone set the fire.

"After talking to witnesses, fire investigators couldn't come to the conclusion that it was intentionally set," Szymanski said.

The apartment was filled with car parts and jugs of gasoline, which Szymanski said may be a factor in the blaze.

The apartment manager was given a citation for allowing the occupant to pile up car parts and gas in her home. City building and safety officials are also investigating the stability of the eight-unit wood apartment building. Szymanski said the structure might be condemned.

The occupant said she had a cat and rabbit, but they couldn't be found, Szymanski said.