One person hospitalized after fire at Downtown Grand
A downtown hotel employee has been hospitalized with serious burn injuries after a fire broke out inside a hotel bar Saturday afternoon.
The Las Vegas Fire Department responded about 3:35 p.m. to calls and automatic fire alarms at the Downtown Grand, 206 N. 3rd St.
The small fire was out before firefighters arrived, Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.
Arriving firefighters found one maintenance worker inside with serious burns to his hands and face, the Fire Department said in a statement. The employee was treated by paramedics before being transported to University Medical Center’s trauma unit.
The initial investigation reported the fire was contained to a single dishwasher. Fire investigators confirmed Saturday evening the blaze started when the employee tried to light a propane torch while working on an appliance at the bar.
The man was burned despite the flash fire going out quickly, the Fire Department said. The heat from the flash fire set nearby rags on fire, which Downtown Grand security personnel put out using a fire extinguisher.
Fire units left the scene within 30 minutes of arrival. Employees and patrons were allowed back into the bar once the haze from the fire cleared, Szymanski said. No one else was injured during the incident.
The fire was ruled accidental, the Fire Department said.
Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or at 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.
