Alpine Motel fire civil suits’ settlement approved

A Clark County District Court judge has signed off on a settlement in civil litigation over the deadliest residential fire in Las Vegas history.

The lawsuits came in the aftermath of the Alpine Motel Apartments fire on Dec. 21, 2019, which killed six people, injured 13 and displaced 50. The lawsuits named nearly 20 defendants, including the building’s former owner, and the companies accused of failing to maintain its fire alarm system.

“This case was a tragedy for all involved,” Robert Murdock, who is representing the plaintiffs, told the Review-Journal on Friday. “As the court said, this case was complex and difficult for all involved. It has been hard-fought with zealous advocacy; however its conclusion allows the parties to begin the process of moving forward.”

District Judge Maria Gall signed the motion approving the settlement during a closed hearing Thursday morning, according to court records.

In the weeks after the fire, the Review-Journal obtained records showing that inspectors noted 42 fire code violations after the blaze, including the locked rear door, the lack of a functioning sprinkler system and missing or defective smoke detectors in at least 14 locations throughout the building.

The former owner and manager, Adolfo Orozco and Malinda Mier, also are facing criminal charges in connection with the fire. Their preliminary hearing is expected to continue April 24.

Orozco’s attorney, Steven Jaffe, said his client was relieved the settlement had been reached.

“We’re happy that this is resolved,” he said Friday. “There’s remaining issues to deal with, but certainly this is something that is good for everybody, the residents and our client.”

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.