Explosion rocks gas station in North Las Vegas; no injuries

By Jackie Valley

Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010 | 12:29 p.m.

A fire described by officials as an explosion and fireball gutted a closed gas station this morning in North Las Vegas.

North Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Cedric Williams said fire crews responded at 2:04 a.m. Sunday to the call and saw heavy smoke and flames pouring from the business at 3820 E. Craig Road in the northeast valley.

The explosion at the gas station tore off the building's roof and sent the front door through the air about 100 feet, he said.

No one was injured in the blaze, which consumed the single-story, 1,000-square-foot building, fire officials said. Forty firefighters extinguished the fire within 35 minutes of arrival, Williams said.

Officials are investigating the cause of the explosion and fire, which did about $100,000 in damage to the building. The gas pumps at the station, however, were not involved in the explosion, Williams said.

Viva Zapata's, a Mexican restaurant adjacent to the gas station, was expected to be closed for two days as a safety precaution while crews secure a gas line at the station, officials said.