Monday, Aug. 17, 2009 | 8:53 a.m.
Las Vegas Fire Department firefighters fought a blaze that started in a shed at South 15th Street and East Charleston Boulevard Saturday night that caused a blackout affecting 700 power customers, officials said this morning.
Firefighters saw heavy flames and smoke coming from behind 1108 S. 15th St. about 8:45 p.m., said Tim Szymanski, spokesman for the Las Vegas Fire Department.
The cause of the fire in the wooden shed has not been determined, Szymanski said. There were no injuries to neighbors or firefighters.
The flames spread through dried brush behind three houses at 1108 and 1114 S. 15th St., and 1449 Cottonwood Ave., Szymanski said. The blaze spread to a power pole and caused electrical lines to fall, which cut the power to 700 customers south of Charleston from Maryland Parkway to South 17th Street.
Firefighters evacuated one house as a precaution, Szymanski said.
NV Energy crews arrived to make sure power was off completely in the area before firefighters completed dousing the flames, Szymanski said.
The shed was destroyed, but the three nearby homes were not damaged. Metro Police closed the eastern lane of Charleston Boulevard for about an hour.
Power was restored to the area by 10 p .m. Saturday.
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