Blaze hits Reno complex

RENO -- A massive fire destroyed part of a high-end apartment complex under construction, sending flames and smoke hundreds of feet into the air but causing no injuries, officials said Thursday.

A nearby trailer park was evacuated for several hours before residents were allowed to return.

As many as 22 of about 36 buildings that were either built or under construction at the development, called The Alexander at South Virginia, were destroyed in the overnight Wednesday fire, Reno Fire Department spokesman Steve Frady said.

Frady said it's not clear what started the blaze, which was first reported just before midnight Wednesday. Because of the fire's size, it may take until next week to find a cause, he said.

"We treat every fire like a crime scene, and through the process of elimination, we get to a point where we can determine if a fire was accidental or arson," Frady told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "Right now, we're just not there."

Heavy smoke from the fire shut down U.S. Highway 395 for a few hours overnight and officers also closed Old Virginia Road and South Virginia Street.

On Thursday, firefighters were putting out hotspots and smoldering debris at the scene. The blaze's intensity forced firefighters to back off at least three times and destroyed the windshield and melted plastic parts of the first fire engine that responded.

Fire officials say the fact that part of the complex was under construction -- with wood frames exposed -- contributed to the quick spread of the fire.