Christmas Day fire damages home, displaces family

A Christmas Day garage fire displaced three adults and four children, continuing a rash of fires that have displaced more than 100 people over a two-week period in the Las Vegas Valley.

Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said firefighters received a call at 11:56 a.m. that a two-story home at 5192 Loma Verde Ave., near Madre Mesa Drive and Decatur Boulevard, was on fire.

Seven people lived in the home and at least five more were staying at the home for the holidays.

Firefighters said items in the garage had been placed too close to the natural gas water heater, causing the blaze.

Two cars were destroyed and another suffered heavy heat damage, Szymanski said.

Living areas within the home suffered smoke damage, but contents will be salvageable, he said.

The American Red Cross is helping the family.

The Red Cross has also assisted families displaced by several other fires last week, including two Wednesday apartment fires.

In the biggest of those blazes, four buildings and 28 units were destroyed at Rainwalk Apartments, 1001 Dumont Blvd., near Maryland Parkway and Desert Inn Road on Wednesday morning.

Also on Wednesday morning, several apartments were damaged at Rancho Verde Apartments, 98 S. Martin Luther King Blvd.

Contact reporter Mike Blasky at mblasky @reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283.