LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — At least two people are displaced and one person was hospitalized with non life threatening injuries after two separate cooking fires early Monday in the Las Vegas valley.
The first fire happened shortly before 7 a.m. in an apartment at 110 E. Washington Avenue near Main Street. When crews arrived, firefighters say the occupants were trying to put the fire out with a garden hose. Authorities brought the occupants to safety and put the fire out. One of the occupants was taken to the hospital for minor smoke inhalation.
About an hour later, around 7:40 a.m., firefighters responded to a reported garage fire in a two-story house at 208 Scherer Street, near Westcliff and Buffalo drives. When crews entered the house to get to the fire in the garage, they found the garage was converted into an apartment with a kitchen. The fire was in the area of the stove. Firefighters had the fire out in a couple of minutes. No one was injured, but two people are displaced because of an estimated $10,000 damage to the apartment.
Cooking fires have increased in Las Vegas since people have been confined to their homes, firefighters say. Cooking-related fires are the leading cause of fires in Las Vegas and the leading cause of fire-related injuries.
Authorities say people should get in the habit of checking stove knobs frequently, especially before leaving the house or going to bed, to make sure the stove is off.
If there is an oven fire, firefighter say to: turn off the oven, leave the oven door closed, leave the building and call 9-1-1 to have firefighters respond and handle.
Never try to fight a fire in the kitchen, authorities say. Leave the building, go outside to a safe place and notify firefighters by calling 9-1-1.
