Man burned in flash fire while handling fuel for generator

By Kailyn Brown

Friday, Nov. 4, 2016 | 10:47 a.m.

A man suffered minor burns in a flash fire this morning while he was filling or mixing fuel for a generator reportedly providing power to several buildings on an east valley property, a Las Vegas Fire & Rescue spokesman said.

Firefighters responded about 4:15 a.m. to a house in the 4900 block of East Monroe Avenue, near Nellis Boulevard and Washington Avenue, fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski said. They found a large outbuilding in the backyard engulfed in flames, he said.

It took firefighters about 15 minutes to put out the blaze, he said. The fire did not spread to the house or a detached garage, he said.

About seven to 10 people were staying in the three structures, which appeared to have been separated into apartments, Szymanski said. Witnesses told investigators power to the property was disconnected and the generator was being used to supply electricity to the buildings, Szymanski said.

The man appeared to have been either refueling or mixing fuel for the generator when there was a flash fire, which extended to the outbuilding, Szymanski said. He suffered minor burns to his legs and was treated at the scene, Szymanski said.

Damage, estimated at $65,000, was confined to the outbuilding, primarily to the roof, Szymanski said.