47°F
weather icon Clear

Early Monday morning fire destroys family home

A fully-involved structure fire early Monday morning prompted an all-hands dispatch for local fire crews.

Though the home was destroyed, no injuries were reported.

The fire broke out just after 5 a.m. on the far southeast part of town where winds were exceeding more than 20 miles per hour at the time.

Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Services Chief Scott Lewis said the call initially went out as a smoke investigation for a fire of unknown origin.

“The fact that it was confirmed a structure fire upgraded our assignment from a smoke investigation to an actual structure fire,” he said. “The fire actually took the roof off the home, as it was a very high burning fire.”

One major challenge crews faced was the fact that there no fire hydrants in that area of town.

As a result, Lewis said crews established a secondary plan of action to fight the rapidly moving fire.

“We had to use our mobile command and our water tenders,” he said. “Our tower ladder was added to the assignment where we performed an aerial attack which really worked out well for us. Because there were no hydrants in that area we had to drive back to the area of Mountain Falls to get water through a rotation of our water tenders going back and forth.”

Lewis noted that a delay in the detection of the fire contributed to its rapid growth.

There was a delay in detecting and reporting because the occupants of the home misplaced their cell phones and didn’t have the ability to immediately report it.

“It was strictly the motorists driving along Highway 160 that eventually got the information correct to dispatch,” he said. “There was no actual address reported and the motorists just said they saw a fire to the west of 160 which really left a very large open area.”

Due to the size of the home, it took crews more than an hour to get the fire under control.

Lewis said additional property at the home also fell victim to the flames.

“There were numerous exposures including other structures and vehicles,” he said. “There was one vehicle parked next to the attached two-car garage and that vehicle was on fire prior to our arrival. There were no injuries to the occupants or the firefighters.”

Cause of the fire remains under investigation Lewis said.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Beatty Clinic gets tons of help with new a/c

BEATTY — The Beatty Foundation, an affiliate of AngloGold-Ashanti (AGA), did tons of good at the Beatty Clinic on March 22. Nine tons, exactly.

11th Annual Chili Cook-Off brings tempting tastings and festival fun

The 11th Annual International Chili Society and Silver State Chili Cook-Off took over Petrack Park this past weekend for three days filled with savory tastings, fun and activities and of course, some intense culinary competition.

Pahrump homeschoolers dance the night away

Pahrump Valley’s homeschool youth were whisked away into the Enchanted Forest this month, with local Moose Lodge #808 hosting a night of dancing and revelry in honor of an age-old adolescent right-of-passage, prom.

Looking for some family fun for Easter? Hop over to Simkins Park

Anyone looking for a fun, family-friendly festivity to enjoy this holiday can hop on over to Simkins Park to join the Mills family as they celebrate Easter Sunday with worship music, free food and an enormous 14,000-egg hunt that is sure to bring a smile to hundreds of faces.

Campground fees to increase at Death Valley National Park

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. — Visitors to Death Valley National Park can expect a slight increase in entrance fees for various campgrounds beginning on May 1.

Clerk staffer Cori Freidhof appointed interim leader

Nye County Clerk Mark Kampf’s time in office officially comes to a close on March 31 and deputy clerk Cori Freidhof has now been selected to assume that vacated seat. Freidhof will take over the office as of Monday, April 1 and fulfill the unexpired term ending Jan. 1, 2027.

Gaming can have impact on us

When does gaming cross the line from recreational relaxation to problematic behavior? How do video games and gambling relate? What resources are available for those who find themselves struggling to control their relationship with video games and gambling?

County eyeing impact fee increases

The cost to develop in Pahrump could go up, with a public hearing on a proposal to raise local impact fees set for next month.

Here’s who filed as political candidates in Nye County

Locals have filed their political candidacy as of March 15 and this year two major offices in Nye County will be up for grabs in the general election. Nye County residents have to first narrow down their preferred party candidate on June 11 in the primary and then vote in November to support their preferred candidates.