Woman hospitalized with burns after fire in central Las Vegas

A woman was hospitalized after she was found with burn injuries near the scene of a fire northwest of downtown Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Fire Department was first notified at 4:10 a.m. Thursday of a fire in a large building at Nevada Restaurant Services, 835 W. Bonanza Road. There, crews found an outdoor fire to the rear of the building that could be seen along the railroad tracks on Bonanza near North City Parkway, spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

While firefighters were attempting to access the building from the railroad tracks, a fire alarm inside the building was activated, Szymanski said, prompting another fire unit to respond.

Firefighters then cut a hole into the building’s roof to release smoke and discovered a fire in the attic area. Szymanski said sprinklers kept the blaze under control until crews were able to fully extinguish the fire.

No one was inside the building, although the woman, whom the department said is homeless, was found nearby a short time after the fire was initially reported.

She was transported to an area hospital, where her condition was not known Thursday afternoon.

Investigators were still working to determine the woman’s possible connection to the fire.

Investigators suspect the fire started outside, possibly under a set of wooden steps near a rear door, Szymanski said. The fire caused about $100,000 in damage.

Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.