Firefighter gets minor electric shock while helping with house fire

By Jackie Valley

Monday, Feb. 17, 2014 | 7:45 p.m.

A firefighter received an electrical shock Monday afternoon while battling a fire at a vacant house, fire officials said.

Las Vegas Fire and Rescue crews responded shortly before 3 p.m. to the fire at 22 Tenille Drive, near Decatur Boulevard and U.S. 95, and found smoke comming out of the roof.

When they forced their way into the building, firefighters found a fire in the attic, department spokesman Tim Szymanski said. The fire was extinguished within a few minutes.

A firefighter was checking for fire spread in the attic when he touched a metal natural gas pipe and received a minor shock, Szymanski said. He was taken to the hospital per department policy but was expected to return to duty.

Fire investigators determined an electrical short underground was leaking a small amount of electricity near where the natural gas line feeds the house, Szymanski said. That resulted in the gas line becoming energized and starting the fire.

The fire, which caused an estimated $75,000 worth of damage, was ruled accidental. Most damage was confined to the attic and roof, but the living room and kitchen had slight damage.