Cause of downtown apartment fire undetermined
A vacant downtown apartment complex was heavily damaged by fire Tuesday night, according to the Las Vegas Fire Department.
Units responded to 223 N. Ninth St. around 8:40 p.m. and found the abandoned Avis Apartments on fire. Most of the blaze was on the second floor, department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.
He said no one was in the building, but there were reports of people screaming for help inside. Firefighters conducted a search for victims Wednesday morning and none were found.
The fire was largely under control shortly before 10 p.m.
Approximately eight people from neighboring apartments were displaced for smoke and power issues and the American Red Cross assisted them.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined. Since the building was vacant and gutted, no damage estimate amount was made.
Two mattress fires have happened in this building in the past year. Fire investigators say that neighbors have seen homeless people routinely enter and exit the building.
Reporter Cassandra Taloma contributed to this story. Contact reporter Annalise Porter at aporter@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0391.