Moulin Rouge on fire

Las Vegas firefighters are continuing to fight a blaze that appears to be contained to one building on the south side of the historic Moulin Rouge on Bonanza Road.

Las Vegas spokesman Jace Radke said firefighters were called to the blaze about 11:45 a.m. At the fire’s peak, thick smoke plumes reached about 100 feet in the air.

Radke said fire officials don’t know the cause of the blaze. He knows of no injuries. Additional firefighters and engines were added to fight the fire, not because it grew in intensity, but because it was hot and crews are rotating to the fight the blaze.

Joyce Sheets, who works at Nevada Restaurant Services across the street from the Moulin Rogue, said she called 911 when colleagues came to her and said they saw smoke and a window explode from a building on the property.

Sheets said she was initially concerned firefighters might struggle to put out the blaze.

“There was lots of black smoke,” she said. “We were not that far away.”

The now abandoned Moulin Rouge was the city’s first integrated casino, but its run only lasted six months. In the decades since, several unsuccessful attempts have been made to revitalize the property.

The Moulin Rouge suffered a major fire in 2003, which investigators deemed an arson.

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.