No injuries reported from fire on roof of Fontainebleau

Police and fire crews responded to a fire that ignited in construction debris on the roof of the yet-to-open luxury hotel Fontainebleau Saturday afternoon.

Clark County Deputy Fire Chief Billy Samuels said the call for the fire, at Las Vegas Boulevard near Sahara Avenue, came at 3:41 p.m. The fire was extinguished not long afterward, at 4:19 p.m.

The plume of black smoke on the roof could be seen across the valley.

Some 91 fire personnel from both Las Vegas Fire and Rescue and Clark County Fire Department responded to the scene, with 12 fire engines and four ladder trucks, Samuels said.

Fire crews took hoses with them and used elevators to reach the roof, with the help of hotel security.

Samuels said he was unaware if there were any people on the roof at the time of the fire, but that no one was reported injured.

Metropolitan Police Department officers responded around 3:45 p.m. to assist with blocking traffic, and Elvis Presley was closed between Las Vegas Boulevard and Paradise Road, according to Lt. Miguel Ibarra.

Fontainebleau said in a statement that the cause was under investigation.

“As safety and security are our highest priorities, we are working closely with the investigators,” the hotel’s statement read.

Construction of the Fontainebleau began in 2007, but stopped in 2009 during the recession. The property was reacquired by its original developer Jeffrey Soffer in 2021 and was scheduled to open in December.

The property has changed hands several times since Soffer unveiled plans for a Las Vegas version of the Miami Beach hotel.

Contact David Wilson at dwilson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @davidwilson_RJ on Twitter. Contact Jeff Burbank at jburbank@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0382. Follow him @JeffBurbank2 on Twitter.