LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – FOX5 has learned two apartment complexes that had fires over the weekend, leaving dozens of people homeless, both do not have sprinklers.
According to code, they do not have to because they were built before sprinkler rules went into place. However, violations were found at one of the complexes, the Accent on Rainbow Apartments.
According to a report FOX5 obtained Tuesday from Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, inspections took place at the apartments located at Washington and Rainbow in September and October and various code violations were found throughout the property. Six apartments were left charred after Saturday’s fire that left 15 adults and two children homeless.
Las Vegas Fire and Rescue reported to FOX5 that their multi-family residential division has been working with the property to bring it up to code since their failed inspections in the fall. A re-inspection is scheduled in about two weeks. Had these apartments been built in present times, fire sprinklers would have been required and could have potentially stopped the flames from spreading to multiple units.
Las Vegas Fire and Rescue did not specify the types of violations they found at the Accent on Rainbow Apartments. FOX5 has requested that information.
“Red Cross had given us a card with some cash on it to get a place for a couple days, but we don’t know what’s going to go on after that,” James Waldie told FOX5 days after the fire at the other apartment complex on Jones near West Lake Mead Blvd. Waldie is one of 15 people left homeless there after Saturday’s fire that burned four units. No violations were found during that property’s last inspection in November.
Last week, FOX5 reported on a fire at Arthur McCants Manor, an apartment complex for seniors off Eastern and Washington. A woman died in that fire. Fire investigators say that building also does not have fire sprinklers but is also not required to because it was built in 1980 before the sprinkler code went into effect.
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