Justin M. Bowen

Store owners assess the damage after a blaze destroyed seven businesses at the Twin Lakes Plaza Shopping Center at North Rancho Road and West Washington Avenue.

By Mary Manning (contact)

Published Fri, Nov 21, 2008 (7:56 a.m.)

Updated Fri, Nov 21, 2008 (1:16 p.m.)

A three-alarm fire that burned overnight for almost an hour in one of the oldest shopping centers in northwestern Las Vegas has been ruled an arson.

The fire burned through seven stores before firefighters brought it under control. Damage was estimated at $1 million, said Tim Szymanski, spokesman for the Las Vegas Fire Department.

Passersby called the fire department at about 1:46 a.m. As firefighters responded from a nearby station, they could see flames and smoke coming from the center of the Twin Lakes Plaza Shopping Center at North Rancho Road and West Washington Avenue, which was built in 1954, Szymanski said.

The flames and smoke spread from the center of the shopping center at 1036 W. Washington Ave., and a second alarm was called. The fire continued to expand, and a third alarm sounded, he said.

Fire investigators believe the fire started in a shoe store in the shopping plaza.

Firefighters were able to stop the flames from spreading through the entire shopping center, Szymanski said.

Seven stores were involved in the fire. Two stores were gutted of the four that were heavily damaged by flames, Szymanski said. Three stores had light to moderate damage.

No one was injured.