Fire in Las Vegas shopping plaza damages several businesses

By Kailyn Brown

Published Friday, Sept. 23, 2016 | 9:40 a.m.

Updated Friday, Sept. 23, 2016 | 10:22 a.m.

At least six businesses were damaged in an early morning blaze at a shopping plaza near Rancho Drive and Washington Avenue, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue reported. There were no injuries.

Firefighters responded about 2:50 a.m. to the Twin Lakes Plaza at 1000 N. Rancho Drive, fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

Upon arrival, firefighters saw smoke coming from the middle of the shopping center from a hallway with six businesses attached to it, he said. Flames also were coming from the roof at the rear of the building.

More fire crews were called to assist when firefighters discovered that a roof was built over an existing older roof of the shopping center, causing flames and heat to be trapped in between the two roofs, Szymanski said.

Firefighters cut a hole through the roof in order to get to the blaze, he said. A total of 76 firefighters and 28 units responded to the scene, Szymanski said.

It took firefighters about 90 minutes to bring the blaze under control, he said.

Szymanski said wind gusts that reached 30 to 35 mph (according to the National Weather Service) helped firefighters put out the blaze by pushing smoke away, making it easier for them to see what they were doing.

A damage estimate was not immediately available, Szymanski said. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.