Fire destroys townhouses

A two-alarm fire early today left 20 people without homes as two townhouse buildings near UNLV went up in flames.

The Clark County Fire Department received the first alarm at 3:15 a.m. at the condominium complex at 1447 and 1437 Hialeah Drive, near Maryland Parkway and Harmon Avenue. Damage to the buildings was estimated at $300,000.

People were running from their homes as firefighters arrived, said Bob Leinbach, a fire department spokesman. One firefighter said the flames looked like "a fireball" as crews were arriving, Leinbach said.

The flames gutted eight units, housed in two fourplexes with three units downstairs and one unit upstairs.

The American Red Cross was helping to find housing for most of the residents, who either own or rent the townhomes. A woman in her 90s, who uses a wheelchair, was rescued by neighbors, Leinbach said.

"People ran from unit to unit, banging on windows and doors to alert everyone," Leinbach said. "Everybody helped everybody out."

The fire's origin is under investigation, said Steve La-Sky, a fire department spokesman.

The fire started on a living room wall of a downstairs unit at 1447 Hialeah, and was determined to be an accident, not arson, Leinbach said.

The wood-shake rooftops, "like kindling wood," contributed to the quick burning of the building, La-Sky said. "It's such a hazard."

No injuries to firefighters or citizens were reported, La-Sky said.

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