Body found in house after fire in east Las Vegas

Las Vegas police are investigating after a body was found in an early Monday morning house fire on the east side of the valley.

The fire at 4151 E. Boston Ave., near Sahara Avenue and Lamb Boulevard, was called in at 3:30 a.m. After the fire had been extinguished, firefighters found a dead body inside the home. Police were called to the scene just after 4 a.m.

Metropolitan Police homicide detective Dan McGrath said Metro’s homicide department is working with arson investigators to determine if the fire was related to a homicide or accidental.

He said the fire began at the back of the house. The body was found in a front bedroom. The body is too badly burned for investigators to determine the person’s gender.

Deputy Clark County Fire Chief Jeff Buchanan said firefighters arriving at the single-story house believed the home was vacant because the gas meter had been locked. The first crews trying to enter the home had to pull back because of intense heat from the fire, but were able to re-enter and extinguish the fire, he said.

Investigators believe the home may be a “squatter house,” because there is no power or running water in the house. Neighbors told investigators that they saw people going in and out of the house several times.

Detectives will decide whether to investigate the death as a homicide after the Clark County coroner’s office performs an autopsy.

The cost of damage caused by the fire has not been estimated.

The identity of the person found in the house, as well as a cause and manner of death, will be released by the coroner’s office when the person’s next of kin have been notified.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find @MaxMichor on Twitter.