Las Vegas Apartment Fire: Authorities Release Details on Burned Down $90 Million Project
Fire officials have provided further details regarding the construction project that was engulfed by a massive fire in the southwest Las Vegas Valley on Tuesday, according to 8 News Now.
According to Clark County officials, the Las Vegas apartment complex under construction that caught fire was approximately 75% complete.
The $90M Las Vegas apartment, known as KAKTUSlife, was intended to be an apartment complex consisting of 614 residential units and over 2,500 square feet of retail space, said the developer, TRU Development.
Investigation teams are currently working to determine the cause of the fire. A task force comprising officials from Clark County Fire Investigations, Las Vegas Fire and Rescue Investigations, Henderson Fire Investigations, Nevada State Fire Marshal Investigators, and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms National Response Team, has been formed.
A canine and handler team equipped to detect a wide range of flammable substances has been deployed to aid the investigation.
Although the team's involvement does not imply a suspected cause, fire officials have indicated they are nearing discovering the blaze's origin.
Structural engineers have been assessing the stability of the concrete both at ground level and using drones.
Fire crews remain on-site 24/7 to monitor the smoldering debris at the burned-down Las Vegas apartment, rotating every four hours to prevent flare-ups in case of high winds. Smoke from the wreckage is expected to persist as the debris burns.
As of now, no specific timeframe has been provided for how long the crews will remain at the site, according to officials.
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The $90M Las Vegas Apartment Fire
Emergency dispatchers received several calls reporting a fire at a building under construction located at 8030 W. Maule Ave at approximately 4:29 pm on Tuesday, per News 3.
Upon their arrival at the Las Vegas apartment, the Battalion Chief on the scene determined that the fire had escalated significantly and called for a 2nd alarm due to the intensity of the flames. Firefighters are currently combating the fire while taking measures to protect surrounding properties from exposure.
The fire rapidly spread due to unfinished wood framing in the $90M Las Vegas apartment, according to Brian O'Neal, assistant chief with the Clark County Fire Department.
Fortunately, no individuals were reported to be inside the structure at the time of the incident, and no injuries have been reported thus far.
Although the fire was reported to have originated on the roof, the exact cause of the blaze remains unknown as of Tuesday.
Las Vegas Apartment Fire Ignites 2 Days After Initial Flames
During the incident, wind gusts ranging from 20 to 25 mph were reported near the fire, originating from the southwest direction.
A significant response was mobilized, with at least 75 fire personnel on-site, tirelessly battling the blaze that continued well into Wednesday morning. Unfortunately, one firefighter required treatment for smoke inhalation.
Fire crews have anticipated that the fire will continue to produce smoke and smolder for the following days. Even after over 12 hours, the fire was still actively burning on Wednesday morning.
Clark County Fire authorities decided to allow the buildings to burn in a controlled manner, as reported by 8 News Now on Wednesday night.
On Thursday morning, approximately 37 hours after the initial outbreak, the fire ignites again.
The $90M Las Vegas apartment was intended to provide housing for over 600 local families through its apartment units.
While initial reports suggested that the fire originated from the roof, the specific cause of the fire remains undetermined at this time. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
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Written by: Bert Hoover
WATCH: Fire breaks out at under construction apartment complex in southwest Las Vegas - From FOX5 Las Vegas