News Release

Contact: Dan Kulin 
Phone: (702) 455-5534 
Email: DKulin@ClarkCountyNV.gov 
Friday, July 06, 2012 
County Fire Department Calling on Public to Turn in Fireworks 

       The Clark County Fire Department is asking the public turn in their unused fireworks so they can be safely destroyed.              

       The public is being asked to bring any unused fireworks to County Fire Station 18 at 575 E. Flamingo Road or Fire Station 76 at 50 E. Laughlin Circle Drive in Laughlin.              

       “While some fireworks are legal to possess during the Fourth of July holiday, now that the holiday has passed it is illegal to possess any fireworks in Clark County,” Fire Chief Bertral Washington said. “So, we are calling on everyone to bring your unused fireworks to us so we can dispose of them safely and prevent more fires like the two we saw this week.”              

       On Tuesday, July 3, a family of five was displaced and their home suffered $150,000 in damage, due a fire that was sparked by fireworks.              

       And, County Fire Department investigators say it appears that fireworks sparked a fire on Thursday, July 5, that destroyed two apartment buildings. This fire caused $1.5 million in damage, destroyed the homes of 50 people, and sent four people to the hospital.              

       Fire investigator’s preliminary findings show that the fire started on the outside of one of the apartment buildings. The fire soon compromised a barbeque propane tank, spreading the fire quickly to both buildings. The barbeque tank was above ground and outside the buildings.             

       Thanks to fire alarms inside the buildings, most of the people inside were able to escape without injury. However, three residents were badly burned, and one firefighter was injured while fighting the fire.

# # #

Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability.  With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 14th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to more than 2 million citizens and 42 million visitors a year. Included are the nation’s 8th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state’s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The county also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to almost 900,000 residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development.