Firefighter, squatter injured in downtown Las Vegas fire
A Las Vegas firefighter and a squatter were injured after a fire in a vacant downtown motel early Saturday.
About 2:40 a.m., the Las Vegas Fire Department began receiving several calls about a fire at a boarded up motel at 232 S. Seventh St., near East Bridger Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South. As crews were arriving at the scene, several squatters were seen running from the building, including one who was seriously injured after jumping from a second-story window, the department said.
A firefighter also suffered a shoulder injury during containment efforts, and both the firefighter and squatter were taken to University Medical Center for treatment.
Meanwhile, additional resources and crews were requested to the scene after the squatters told police there could still be people inside the burning building. Firefighters found one person inside during a search of the property, but that person was not injured, the department said.
The fire was under control by about 3 a.m., but crews remained at the scene for several hours Saturday “dousing any remaining hot spots to prevent a flare up of another fire,” spokesman Tim Szymanski said.
The cause of the blaze had not been determined Saturday, but Szymanski noted there have been fires at the property in the past. The vacant building is known to be used by squatters.
Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.
