Fire destroys Sierra Nevada Arms buildings

Fire officials believe an arsonist set this morning's sky-blackening blaze that destroyed three of 21 abandoned Sierra Nevada Arms public housing buildings awaiting demolition.

The 21 buildings, once spread out across 28 acres when inhabited years ago, were propped up on supports in rows of three in a small field off Coran Lane and Simmons Street when smoke began billowing skyward about 4 a.m.

"The only way the buildings could have caught fire is by someone going in there and intentionally starting a fire," said Tim Szymanski, Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman. "The buildings are abandoned, the windows are boarded up, and the entire area is enclosed by a cyclone fence."

Three of the buildings were engulfed in flames and thick black smoke when the first responding units from Las Vegas and North Las Vegas fire departments arrived.

More than 60 firefighters fought the blaze, drowning the buildings from a distance. The flames were brought under control in about an hour.

"It was so smoky when we first got here, we couldn't see a thing," Szymanski said. "There wasn't a need to fight it from the inside. If we know it's an abandoned building and no lives will be lost, we're not going to send anyone in. The roof can collapse and end up killing someone."

Firefighters were successful in keeping the fire from spreading beyond the three buildings that eventually collapsed under the weight of the water from firefighters' hoses.

At press time, crews were concentrating on soaking nearby buildings in hopes of reducing the possibility of embers being spread by the wind, Szymanski said.

Workers had been on the property in recent days, clearing floor tiles and insulation from the buildings suspected of containing asbestos. What asbestos may have been released into the air during the fire, Szymanski said, was of minimal concern.

"There probably was very little left and not enough to harm anyone," he said. "We believe it dissipated into the air."

As a precaution, firefighters were instructed to wear their air packs to prevent inhaling anything toxic.

Fire crews were expected to remain at the scene throughout the day putting out hot spots. A team from the city's public works department is planning to use a backhoe and a bulldozer to clear away the charred rubble once the fire is declared out.

Arson investigators were at the scene this morning and were expected to begin their investigation later today.

Fire prevention officials were expected to look into whether the virtual side-by-side stacking of the wooden buildings violated any codes.

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