A fire burns at a multi-story building under construction near the I-215 Beltway between Buffalo and Durango drives Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
Wednesday, June 21, 2023 | 1:27 p.m.
Firefighters let a massive fire Tuesday at an under-construction apartment complex burn itself out, and what remains will be demolished, the Clark County Fire Department said.
The fire was reported about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 8000 block of West Maule Avenue, officials said.
The fire, which engulfed three apartment buildings, was “inaccessible to exterior water streams,” and it was too dangerous for crews to enter the structures, officials said.
Firefighters saved a clubhouse building valued at $10 million to $15 million, officials said. No damage estimate was released.
One firefighter was transported to a hospital for an undisclosed injury and subsequently released, officials said. No other injuries were reported.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, officials said.
Crews remained on the scene today, and the charred apartment buildings are expected to smolder for several days, officials said.
Specialized equipment is being brought in to demolish what is left of the damaged structures and should be on scene Thursday, officials said.
The concrete slabs on which the apartments were built cover underground parking garages, and it is unknown if the slabs were damaged by the fire, officials said.
The equipment normally used for such demolition jobs cannot stay far enough away from the building to operate safely, officials said.
Traffic closures will remain on Maule Avenue as crews continue working for the next few days, officials said.
The Clark County Department of Air Quality reported a slight increase in particulate matter at a nearby air monitoring station because of the smoke, officials said.
“We encourage those who may be impacted to limit outdoor exposure and run indoor air through air filters to try to limit exposure to fire products,” the fire department said in a statement.
