New homeowners displaced after fire causes $750,000 in damage

By Tim Richardson

Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010 | 5:42 a.m.

A house fire caused about $750,000 in damage early Saturday in the western valley, destroying the home about a week after a couple had moved in.

Las Vegas Fire & Rescue responded at 12:19 a.m. to the report of a fire in the Canyon Gate subdivision at 2132 Bay Hill Drive, which is northeast of the intersection of Fort Apache Road and Sahara Avenue. A woman who was alone reported that her fireplace was on fire and the blaze was spreading to the bedroom. She then evacuated the two-story house.

Firefighters noticed the bedroom fireplace was glowing, then flames suddenly broke through the home's roof, fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski said. As firefighters evacuated through the front door, the roof caved in and fell to the first floor in some locations, investigators said.

The fire was brought under control in about 30 minutes. Firefighters also sprayed water on an adjacent home to keep it from catching fire.

Authorities said the couple had moved into the home in the past week and did extensive work to the house before moving in. The natural gas fireplace in the bedroom was used for the first time one night earlier, Szymanski said.

He said the fire likely started in the fireplace and spread to the attic, but investigators want to return in the daylight Saturday before making a final determination. Damage to the home made it too dangerous to enter early Saturday, authorities said. No one was injured.

The attic and the second floor were destroyed and the first floor sustained extensive damage, Szymanski said. The garage and a vehicle sustained water damage.