Father, son perish in Las Vegas fire caused by explosion
What appears to be an accidental explosion caused a fire that spread into a home and killed a man and his teenage son Thursday night, Las Vegas Fire Department officials said.
Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said the fire happened at 6:33 p.m. at 851 W. Bartlett Ave., near Revere Street and Carey Avenue.
Szymanski said Las Vegas and North Las Vegas police cars were near the home on routine patrol when the explosion occurred. Witnesses told fire officials the explosion caused a "wall of fire," he said.
Witnesses said a man was working on a fuel device for his boat on his front lawn.
When the explosion occurred, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas police rushed to the back of the home because the fire was too intense in the front. Police were unable to enter the home, however, because it had security bars on its windows and doors.
Szymanski said the explosion blew out some windows in the home, and the fire traveled directly inside.
He said the man was consumed by fire. His wife tried to help him with a hose.
The woman left her home and thought her son was right behind her, but he never made it out. Firefighters found the boy inside the home. He was taken to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The boy was thought to be between the ages of 13 and 16, Szymanski said.
The man was found in the front yard near the boat. He died at the scene.
The woman was hospitalized. She didn't suffer life-threatening injuries, Szymanski said.
A Las Vegas police officer and a North Las Vegas officer were hospitalized for smoke inhalation.
Szymanski said the fire caused heavy damage to the home.
He said if there are any lessons to be learned from Thursday's fatal fire, it's that certain types of security bars are dangerous.
"We often tell people, when you make it impossible for people to get in your home, you make it impossible to get out in the case of a fire."
Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@review journal.com or 702-383-4638.
