Morning fire destroys three houses under construction

The cause of the fire that destroyed three houses under construction remains unknown this morning, but some neighbors have suspicions about the blaze.

It took Clark County firefighters about an hour to subdue high flames that erupted from three skeletal homes on Cowboy Rain Drive, near Blue Diamond and Fort Apache roads, around 6 a.m. today, department spokesman Scott Allison said.

There were no injuries and a damage estimate is unknown. Investigators are on scene trying to establish what started the blaze.

Flames broke windows and melted blinds and curtains in three homes just north of the budding development.

Families who live in those homes said crews building the Ryland Homes development had been starting and stopping construction for about three years and just recently put the framing up on multiple homes.

"It's suspicious that it happens right when they usually start hammering and nailing," said Lynda Costello, a neighbor whose home was damaged.

Allison said electrical and gas lines had not been hooked up to the construction homes as of today.

"We always assume a fire is suspicious until we find otherwise," he said.

Costello was awake around 5:50 a.m. when she heard taps on her bedroom window. Assuming it was construction workers throwing rocks or a wind storm, Costello said she opened the blinds and saw a thick orange glow and could feel the heat of the fire.

She was unsure how much damage she had to her home.