Fire victims grateful for help

Blankets. Soap. Toilet paper. Clean clothes.

It's the little stuff people take for granted, but for the Las Vegas families who lost everything in a massive fire Wednesday, that's what they're thankful for.

"Someone dropped off this air mattress this morning," said Kimberly Quiocho, testing the battery-charged pump on the mattress. "And some people we don't know dropped off some blankets and clothes."

Quiocho and her girlfriend, Endora Clark, are among dozens of residents who were displaced by an early morning blaze at Rainwalk Apartments, 1001 Dumont Blvd., near Maryland Parkway and Desert Inn Road.

The fire, aided by heavy winds, destroyed four buildings and 28 individual units. It spread so quickly that Clark and Quiocho only had time to awaken the children and run.

Management at Rainwalk Apartments had relocated Clark and Quiocho on Wednesday evening to a vacant unit in an undamaged building. It's a better unit than the one that was destroyed, and the couple will try to rebuild their lives there.

"We have a roof over our head, and that's enough for now," Quiocho said.

"At least we can still be a family," added Clark.

Dozens of displaced families were assigned to new apartments within the complex, according to officials. Others have found temporary housing with friends and family. No one has requested shelter through the American Red Cross.

The Red Cross is assisting families affected by other Wednesday fires, including a second apartment fire at Rancho Verde Apartments, 98 S. Martin Luther. King Blvd., near the Spaghetti Bowl. The Rancho Verde fire was far less severe than the Rainwalk blaze, said fire officials. Some Rancho Verde units were damaged, but none were destroyed.

City and county fire officials said the causes of both fires are still being investigated.

Red Cross officials say they have provided some form of aid to 17 families from Rainwalk Apartments and 14 families from Rancho Verde Apartments.

More than 100 Rainwalk residents were displaced and required food, blankets, clothes and shelter.

Officials say the community is stepping up to provide assistance.

General Growth Properties, which owns the Boulevard Mall near the Rainwalk Apartments, has provided $9,000 in gift cards to be distributed to displaced families.

Retailers within the mall, such as Macy's, have also made donations.

Using the gift cards, along with donations from neighbors whose apartments survived the blaze unscathed, Clark and Quiocho were able to obtain soap, toiletries, food, clothes and blankets for the coming weeks.

One neighbor from an undamaged building even brought a PlayStation video game console for Clark's son.

"That was so nice of them," she said, laughing, "but we don't even have a TV to use it."

Although the families are starting over, it's not exactly a "fresh start." Because the new apartment Quiocho and Clark were moved to was vacant before the fire, it hadn't been cleaned by management in preparation for new residents. None of the units had been.

But CSI Services, a cleaning company, stepped in on Christmas Eve and volunteered to scrub floors, clean carpets, paint walls and freshen air ducts.

"Most of the families are sleeping on carpets right now," said Guy Nisgoda, owner of CSI Services. "We think they should at least be clean."

Nisgoda said he and his crew of employees would work until each apartment was habitable. Working late on Christmas Eve wasn't a problem.

"I'm Jewish," said Nisgoda. "Hanukkah is over."

Gypsy Winslow, a former neighbor of Clark and Quiocho, was with the family Thursday morning. She had been relocated to a one-bedroom apartment near the couple. Winslow was thankful for that because they had been her neighbors for years.

"We stuck together," she said.

Winslow said she received a call from an out-of-state nephew Thursday morning to wish her a happy holiday.

He didn't know about the fire.

Winslow didn't know about the holiday.

"I said, 'It's Christmas Eve?' I didn't even remember with all this stuff going on."

When asked about her Christmas plans, Winslow said she just wants to get organized, buy some basic supplies and take a shower. The Las Vegas Valley Water District had not yet turned on the water on in her apartment.

"That's what I want for Christmas," she said. "A shower."

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