One fire ruled arson; cause of 2nd blaze under investigation

By Brian Nordli

Monday, Oct. 14, 2013 | 8:01 a.m.

Las Vegas Fire & Rescue officials were investigating two fires, one Sunday at a house that sustained $75,000 damage and another this morning at vacant assisted living center frequented by homeless people.

In Sunday’s fire, two people were displaced after someone broke into their home and started a fire, officials said.

Firefighters responded to the blaze about 10:25 p.m. Sunday in the 5500 block of Mare Way, near Cheyenne Avenue and Michael Way. Crews extinguished the flames within 10 minutes, fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

No one was home at the time of the fire, and no one was injured.

Investigators later discovered the house had been broken into and ruled the fire arson, Szymanski said. Fire department arson investigators and Metro Police detectives were investigating.

Investigators also are looking into a fire this morning at the vacant Fremont Assisted Living Center.

Firefighters responded about 1:35 a.m. to the boarded-up building at 100 S. 14th St. Firefighters found a fire in a third-floor room and extinguished it within a few minutes, Szymanski said.

The building is vacant but is often used by homeless people, Szymanski said. No one was injured.

The building previously caught fire Sept. 9. That fire was ruled arson. The cause for this morning’s fire was under investigation.