Woman dies in early morning house fire in east Las Vegas

A mother of three died of apparent smoke inhalation in a house fire early Friday morning, according to Las Vegas fire officials.

Carmen Salomon, 28, of Las Vegas was found unconscious on the ground from apparent smoke inhalation and was taken to University Medical Center, said spokesman Tim Szymanski. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Las Vegas firefighters received a call around 1:30 a.m. from a child who said someone was trapped in their garage, which was on fire. Clark County and Las Vegas firefighters responded to 716 Brenner Way, near Bonanza Road and Lamb Boulevard.

Upon arrival, smoke was coming from the garage, which had been renovated into an apartment. The only entrance had a locked metal security door, and firefighters had to force their way in to the smoldering fire.

Salomon’s family told firefighters that she had earlier gone into the main house and looked for candles because she said something smelled in the garage. When fire units arrived to the house, the door inside the security door was ajar, which Szymanski said may have been to air out what she had smelled.

Salomon’s children and mother were in the unaffected main portion of the house and were being assisted by the American Red Cross.

Damage was estimated at $20,000. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but has been ruled accidental.

This is the eighth Las Vegas fire fatality in 2013.

Contact reporter Annalise Porter at aporter@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0391.