Las Vegas Sun

December 1, 2009

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Major fires in Las Vegas

Friday, Sept. 5, 2003 | 11:22 a.m.

The historic Moulin Rouge hotel and casino on West Bonanza Road burned to the ground. It was the first hotel in Las Vegas where black entertainers who performed on the Strip could stay. Fred Ball, 45, and John Antwan Caver, 29, were arrested on arson charges.

The AeroTech rocket fuel plant at 1955 S. Palm St., near residential neighborhoods at Boulder Highway and St. Louis Avenue, burned, killing one person and seriously injured two others. It also destroyed five nearby businesses.

The Pacific Engineering and Production Company in Henderson exploded and burst into flames, killing two people and injuring 300. The company manufactured ammonium perchlorate, a rocket fuel booster. The factory, which was destroyed, was rebuilt in St. George, Utah.

The Las Vegas Hilton Hotel was evacuated after a busboy ignited a fire in the hotel. Eight people died.

A fire started in a deli spread throughout the MGM Grand Hotel, now Bally's, killing 85 people.

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