Wind-fueled fire destroys vacant building near Rio

Strong winds fueled a fire in a vacant building across from the Rio Sunday night.

Clark County Fire Department crews were fighting the fire defensively at 3695 W. Flamingo Road near South Valley View Boulevard, according to the fire department.

The fire was small when the first units arrived about 9 p.m., Battalion Chief Scott Straily said. But within five minutes, the flames had spread to the entire roof. It later collapsed.

He said winds played an “important” role in spreading the fire. Arriving crews found flames in the west end of the building before they spread to the east end within 10 to 15 minutes, he said.

“And it had a big factor in our ability to fight the fire (in) the east side of the building,” Straily said.

Nobody was injured, Straily said, adding the building — formerly Pinkie’s Pool Hall — had been vacant about 15 years.

“We’ve had multiple little fires over the years with homeless people that were in the building, but we haven’t been here recently,” Straily said.

The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately known. Straily said the fire department would continue fighting the fire throughout the night, adding investigators likely wouldn’t enter the building until morning.

“It’s just too unsafe to go into the building,” he said.

Smoke could be seen and smelled from nearby Interstate 15 late Sunday.

The initial call to the fire department was to 4200 S. Valley View before crews found the actual fire location.

Straily said 48 personnel had worked the call by 11:15 a.m.

The building was a total loss.

Review-Journal staff writer Max Michor contributed to this story.

Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mike_shoro on Twitter.