View all| Submit your Fire News Tip
An elderly man died of apparent burns and smoke inhalation after a small kitchen fire in his West Las Vegas apartment late Tuesday night. The cause of death is a potential fire victim depending on the findings of
an autopsy that will be performed by the Clark County Coroner’s Office which will determine the exact cause of death.
Firefighters were called to the Ruby Duncan Manor at 500 W. Owens Ave. at 10:27 p.m. Tuesday on a reported cooking fire. When firefighters arrived, they found the fire, which was very small, was out and an elderly man on the floor, unconscious, with serious burns over the lower half of his body. He was immediately taken to University Medical Center by a fire rescue unit. He was pronounced dead about an hour later.
The cause of the fire, which caused approximately $5,000 damage, remains under investigation. It appears it was a grease fire that extended to the man’s clothing causing the burns on his body.
If ruled a fire fatality, it will be the sixth fatal fire in the city this year. Cooking fires are the leading cause of fires in the city and in the United States. They are also the leading cause of fire-related injuries. Careless smoking remains the leading cause of fatal fires.
Of the five fatal fires in the city this year, three are believed to be the result of careless smoking.
Submitted by Firefighter Caswell, LVFR
View All | Submit your Fire Rescue News Tip
