LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A fire broke out Friday morning near the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), destroying a two-story commercial building and damaging at least eight businesses, officials said.
Witnesses on the ground reported that the smoke appeared to be emanating from an area near the campus of UNLV. The building involved was a two-story commercial structure. Thomas Touchstone, senior deputy fire chief, said investigators were still looking into the origin and cause of the fire, but the blaze had affected at least eight businesses, which he said were destroyed.
The first reports of the fire came just after 8 a.m. Firefighters arrived within a few minutes and found heavy fire and smoke coming from the roof. Fire officials quickly called a third alarm and focused the battle on the north and south wings of the building. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officials assisted with crowd and traffic control, as well as the evacuation of surrounding buildings.
Touchstone detailed multiple collapses that occurred during the blaze, adding that parts of the roof came off during the incident. He said the remaining structure appeared to be unstable. Most of the businesses in the area were closed at the time of the fire.
A post office location within the building was destroyed, fire officials said, and a federal investigation into the fire is likely to follow.
U.S. Postal Service (USPS) officials stated that the fire has necessitated the relocation of services until further notice. Customers are being redirected to the Paradise Valley Post Office to pick up their mail. An official from USPS noted that any mail that was not picked up before the fire was destroyed.
No injuries were reported as a result of the fire, Touchstone said.
Just after 9 a.m., UNLV officials said the fire had been contained by Clark County firefighters. They reiterated that there was no threat to the UNLV campus and noted that Maryland Parkway was closed between Harmon Avenue and University Road. Commuters were advised to avoid the area.
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