Fire spreads from parked van to home, causing $175,000 in damage

By Brian Nordli

Wednesday, July 31, 2013 | 9:40 p.m.

A family of five was displaced from their home Wednesday after a fire that began in a parked van sent the home up in flames.

Las Vegas Fire and Rescue responded to the fire about 4:45 p.m. at 1913 S. 17th Street, near Oakey Boulevard and Maryland Parkway. A mother and two children were inside the home when they heard a loud boom. Black smoke began filling up the house as flames consumed the front, Las Vegas Fire and Rescue spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

The family escaped from the back door, and neighbors helped them to safety. Firefighters arrived to find the flames had spread from the van under the carport to the attic, Szymanski said. Firefighters needed 45 minutes to extinguish the fire.

The fire caused about $175,000 in damage to the home. One firefighter suffered from minor heat exhaustion from the fire, but did not need to be transported to a hospital.

Fire investigators determined the fire began in the van and spread to the house, but the van was too destroyed for investigators to confirm what caused it to catch fire, Szymanski said. The loud boom the family heard was most likely from one of the tires on the van exploding, Szymanski said.

The fire was ruled accidental.