Fire in Las Vegas kills six, injures 13

A fire in a three-story Las Vegas apartment building killed six people and injured 13 others, The Associated Press reported Saturday.

Fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski said that it was “the worst fire fatality that we’ve had in the city of Las Vegas since the inception of the fire department.”

Szymanski said that the fire was accidentally caused by a first-floor unit’s stove. Residents told investigators that some residents used their stoves for warmth because the building lacked heat.

Most of the injuries were from smoke inhalation, though Szymanski said one victim had broken legs and a possible broken back after falling or jumping from an upper-floor window to escape the heavy smoke.

The fire was largely contained to that one unit, although smoke did reach the rest of the building, according to Szymanski.

Because of the smoke damage, Szymanski said the building is uninhabitable. Around 30 people have been displaced as a result.

The Southern Nevada Red Cross said it sent a team to provide assistance, the AP reported.