House fire does $200,000 in damage, displaces father and son

By Mary Manning

Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009 | 10:05 a.m.

A man watering plants in the backyard of his house near Rancho Drive and Gowan Road heard a loud crash and noticed thick smoke coming from attic vents.

When Las Vegas Fire Department units arrived after emergency calls about 6:36 a.m. Tuesday, they saw flames coming from the rear of the home at 3609 Beeson Court and saw smoke coming from the attic.

The father and his son who lived at the house escaped as the fire grew in intensity, said Tim Szymanski, spokesman for the Las Vegas Fire Department.

Firefighters controlled the blaze within 15 minutes, which spread through the attic and got into the house, destroying everything, Szymanski said. Damages are estimated at $200,000.

The home's owner said he had trouble with his air conditioner. He turned it on several times and it finally stayed running, Szymanski said. Shortly afterward, the man noticed the smoke.

The man suffered slight smoke inhalation and was treated on scene by paramedics. He refused to go to the hospital, but his son convinced him to go and drove him to a hospital, Szymanski said.

The exact cause of the fire has not been pinpointed because of the damage to the residence, Szymanski said. The man bought the house in 1979, when it was built.