Three hospitalized after North Las Vegas home fire

By Paul Takahashi

Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013 | 1:53 p.m.

Three North Las Vegas residents were transported to the hospital after a fire broke out at inside their home Monday.

North Las Vegas firefighters responded to a fire at single story home at the 1600 block of Harewood Avenue, near Cheyenne Avenue and Interstate 15, shortly before 6 a.m., department officials said.

Upon arrival, firefighters saw heavy smoke coming from the back of the home. They rescued a disabled elderly woman from the fire. Two other residents were able to evacuate the home before firefighters arrived.

All three residents — a woman in her mid-50s, a woman in her 70s, and a man in his mid-50s — were transported to UMC's burn unit. At that time, the man and elder woman were in critical condition, and the other woman was in stable condition.

The home had significant damage from smoke and fire and is uninhabitable, according to fire officials. Damages, which were largely contained to three rooms, is estimated at $92,500.

Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the house, and extinguished the fire within five minutes of arrival. Responding to this fire were 13 units and 34 firefighters from the North Las Vegas, Las Vegas and Clark County fire departments. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

One of the residents attempted to extinguish the fire before calling 911, officials said. Firefighters do not recommend doing this, because a fire doubles in size every minute. If a fire becomes more than a small trash or stove fire and it can't be easily put out with a fire extinguisher or smothering, officials recommend that residents evacuate immediately and call 911.