Meth lab blamed for blast, fire at North Las Vegas apartment
One person was critically injured Thursday morning in an explosion at a North Las Vegas condominium and apartment complex caused by a resident making methamphetamine, officials said.
North Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Nino Galloway said at a news briefing that firefighters were called to the Coral Palms complex, 3318 N. Decatur Blvd., about 8 a.m. The initial explosion that caused the fire “came as a result of an occupant manufacturing methamphetamine,” according to a news release from the department.
When fire crews arrived they found a fire on a ground-floor unit that was “threatening” the apartment above,” the release said. More than 50 firefighters from North Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Fire Department were called to the scene.
North Las Vegas Police Department spokesman Eric Leavitt said the department’s narcotics unit was investigating. As of Thursday afternoon no one had been arrested.
Firefighters found three people injured at the eight-unit apartment complex. One of the injured was taken to University Medical Center with what were described as critical injuries. The other victims were not believed to be seriously injured, Galloway said.
The fire, which was extinguished soon after the fire crews arrived, badly damaged the two apartments.
Several residents were displaced, and the American Red Cross was called to help those affected by the fire, the release said.
Contact Glenn Puit at gpuit@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0390. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter. Review-Journal staff writer Katelyn Newberg contributed to this report.
