Man, 80, dies from injuries suffered in North Las Vegas fire

By Jackie Valley, Nikki Villoria

Published Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011 | 8:41 a.m.

Updated Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011 | 5:28 p.m.

An 80-year-old man taken to a hospital in critical condition Tuesday morning after a fire at his North Las Vegas home has died from his injuries.

North Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Cedric Williams said firefighters responded shortly after midnight to the home in the 1400 block of East Piper Avenue, near Civic Center Drive and Interstate 15. Firefighters arrived to find the single-story home engulfed in flames.

Security bars on the doors and windows initially hampered rescuers' efforts, but firefighters made it inside at 12:30 a.m. and found James Smith unconscious on a bathroom floor, officials said.

Smith was taken to North Vista Hospital in critical condition and later transferred to University Medical Center’s trauma unit for additional care, but he died from injuries suffered in the fire.

He had burns on about 20 percent of his body and had significant damage to his airways and lungs from smoke and heat, Williams said.

Smith lived at the residence with his daughter, who wasn't home at the time of the fire. Several family pets also were killed in the blaze.

Two 20-year-old neighbors had tried to rescue Smith and enter the house with a garden hose before firefighters arrived but were blocked by the home’s security bars, authorities said. The men attempted to pour water on the fire through a window.

The two men suffered smoke inhalation and were taken in stable condition to UMC, where they were later released.

Williams said 37 fire personnel fought and investigated the blaze, which was extinguished at 12:32 a.m. The cause of the fire was determined to be electrical in nature, causing about $74,000 in damage to the structure and contents of the home, Williams said.