No injuries, large fires to blame on fireworks this year

By RICARDO TORRES LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

10 years ago

Fireworks explode over the Strip in Las Vegas as seen from ghostbar at the Palms hotel-casino on Saturday, July 4, 2015. (Joshua Dahl/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

A Phantom Fireworks stand is open for business at the northeast corner of Flamingo Road and Rainbow Boulevard Tuesday, June 30, 2015, in Las Vegas. Volunteers worked at the 24-hour stand for WestCare. (Ronda Churchill/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Fireworks are shown inside a Phantom Fireworks stand at the northeast corner of Flamingo Road and Rainbow Boulevard Tuesday, June 30, 2015, in Las Vegas. Volunteers worked at the 24-hour stand for WestCare. (Ronda Churchill/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

The new Fireworks Launch Site opened last week in preparation for what is anticipated to be a busy Fourth of July weekend. (Courtesy, Selwyn Harris/Pahrump Valley Times)

The Las Vegas Fire Department was a bit busier this Fourth of July compared to last year, but no major fires or injuries were blamed on fireworks, the department said Sunday.

The department responded to 382 calls compared to 347 last year, the fire department said. On average, the Las Vegas firefighters respond to 289 calls daily, which include medical and ambulance ride calls.

A garage fire about 10:45 p.m. near Camino Del Rancho, west of Decatur Boulevard, caused about $20,000 in damage and displaced at least one person, the fire department said. The blaze began outside the house in a trash can, and investigators said it began from fireworks not being properly disposed.

It wasn’t clear if an RV mobile home fire near the intersection of Washington Avenue and Nellis Boulevard was because of fireworks, the fire department said. Two adults were displaced, and damage was estimated at $50,000.

Among the 77 fire calls the department received, 21 were to trees, 15 to brush, six to dumpsters and four to trash cans, the fire department said. There were also five fires in open lots.

Other building fires were blamed on causes such as electrical, air conditioning and cooking.

All fireworks were deemed illegal at midnight Sunday.

Contact Ricardo Torres at rtorres@reviewjournal.com and 702-383-0381. Find him on Twitter: @rickytwrites.