Wheelchair-bound man dies in fire

Two Friday afternoon fires were responsible for the death of a Las Vegas man and about $20,000 in damage.

Clark County firefighters pulled a wheelchair-bound man from a fire at his home at 4775 Farlington Drive, near Tropicana Avenue and Buffalo Drive, just after 4 p.m. on Friday.

The man was badly burned, had suffered smoke inhalation and died from his injuries, County Fire Department spokesman Bob Leinbach said.

"The victim was a smoker and had been on his sofa and had possibly been dozing off," Leinbach said. "He managed to get himself into his wheelchair, but couldn't make it out."

Investigators believe that a cigarette may have sparked the blaze.

Two Silver State Disposal Service workers tried to pull the man from his home before firefighters arrived, but were unable to get him clear of the burning house, Leinbach said.

Firefighters soon had the fire out, but it still led to about $15,000 in property damage.

Another fire burned parts of three mobile homes Friday afternoon, leaving about $5,000 in damage.

The fire at the Desert Moon Mobile Home Park, 3310 Las Vegas Blvd. North, burned through three mobile homes that backed up to the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Cheyenne Avenue.

No one was injured in the fire, but investigators are calling the blaze suspicious and continue to try to find out how it started, Leinbach said.

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