Pahrump Valley crews respond to vehicle collisions, fire, power outage

Motor vehicle collisions, a brief power outage and a structure fire engaged Pahrump fire crews over the past week.

Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Services Chief Scott Lewis said crews were dispatched for a two-vehicle collision at Highway 160 and Basin Avenue, just after 8 a.m., on Wednesday, Sept. 20.

“Upon arrival, crews found a two-vehicle accident as reported,” he said. “While there was no entrapment, there was one injured person, who was transported from the scene.”

Later that day fire crews were dispatched for a second two-vehicle collision along Highway 160 at Wilson Road, just before 1 p.m.

Upon arrival, crews located the two-vehicle crash scene, where one person was transported.

Both vehicles sustained significant damage as a result of the collision.

Balloon causes power outage

Also on Wednesday, fire crews, Nye County Sheriff’s deputies and Valley Electric Association crews were dispatched to Highway 160 at Basin Avenue for an arcing power line at 3:30 p.m.

“It was discovered that a Mylar balloon had become entangled in the power lines,” Lewis said. “There was a series of arcs, which took out the transformer to that area. It cut off power to some commercial, residential as well as government complexes in the immediate area. Several computers within the fire station had sustained damage and are being repaired by IT. There were no injuries reported as a result of the event.”

Michael Hengel, executive vice president of Corporate Communications for Valley Electric Association, Inc. issued a news release regarding the incident.

“A Mylar balloon made contact with our distribution line at Basin Avenue and Highway 160,” Hengel noted. “The outage was restored within 30 minutes, and a total of 1,384 meters were affected.”

Road crews installed temporary stop signs at the intersection as the traffic lights also fell dark.

Structure fire

On Friday, Sept. 22nd fire crews were dispatched to a structure fire along the 8200 block of South Fox Avenue at 6:30 a.m.

“Upon arrival, crews found a structure with multiple additions,” Lewis said. “There was light smoke showing from the area above a two-car garage. The investigation revealed a working fire between the ceiling and the floor surface of the second-story apartment above that two-car garage. The fire was quickly extinguished with no extension. The investigation revealed an inappropriate use of a heating device as the ignition source.”

Aside from responding to the aforementioned service calls, Lewis noted that fire crews were dispatched for numerous medical calls at Petrack Park during the Pahrump Fall Festival.

“We also covered the rodeo as well as the dirt track,” Lewis said. “We participated in the parade portion of the Fall Festival and we also provided coverage and inspections of the event as well.”

Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com, on Twitter: @pvtimes