By james art 
The devastating house fire in southwest Las Vegas on Oct. 24 that killed four family members serves as an unpleasant reminder that both residential and commercial fires can be catastrophic. Here’s a look at other similar fires in the Las Vegas Valley:
MGM Grand; 87 Killed (1980)
On November 21, 1980, guests were forced to evacuate when an early morning fire engulfed the 26-story MGM Grand Hotel with smoke. The fire at the “nightmare” structure trapped casino guests and patrons, killing 87 and injuring hundreds more. Although the fire is known as the worst in Las Vegas history, it spurred the creation of public policies that upgraded fire safety standards in high-rise buildings across the state.
Las Vegas Hilton; 8 Killed (1981)
Three months after the fire at the MGM Grand Hotel, all 22 floors of the Las Vegas Hilton went up in flames; the February 10 event killed eight people. Fire officials said the predecessor Strip fire helped them keep casualties to a minimum. Using local television news, they told guests to stay in their rooms and avoid hallways and stairwells. Investigators later determined that the fire was started by Philip Klein, a 23-year-old room service employee who was later convicted of murder and arson. Klein was sentenced to eight consecutive life sentences without parole.
Alpine Motel; 6 Killed (2019)
When the fire broke out in the early morning of December 21, 2019, most of the tenants at the Alpine Motel Apartments were also asleep. Some residents jumped from the three-story building and ran away. However, the fire ultimately claimed six lives and injured 13. Investigations into the event later revealed that the apartment building, originally built in 1972, had failed numerous inspections and received code enforcement complaints in the years prior. . The downtown fire is the deadliest residential fire in the city’s history.
Pahrump; 4 Killed (2011)
10. Neighbors heard a baby’s cries as “fast-moving” smoke and flames engulfed a mobile home fire in Pahrump on February 9, 2011. The blaze killed a woman, later identified as a family friend, and three boys, all under age six. Outside, the boys’ mother, Sharon Broadhead, who had escaped the fire, screamed that her babies were trapped inside. Broadhead was later arrested on charges of criminal negligence and manslaughter, although fire officials ruled the incident accidental. Scott Lewis, Pahrump Valley Fire-Rescue Chief, said the investigation indicates a juvenile resident likely started the fire.
Van’s Trailer Oasis; 3 Killed (2012)
By the time firefighters from Clark County, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas extinguished the flames at the Van’s Trailer Oasis Park on June 15, 2012, two mobile homes were destroyed and three young children were dead. The children and two adults were asleep when the fire started. Although the adults, Amy Hatzenpiler and Shane Guajardo, fled, Guajardo tried to return to the home to save the children, according to prosecutors, who later charged the couple with three counts of child abuse and neglect. Both were sentenced to 10 to 30 years in prison after admitting they were “high” on meth at the time.
2732 St. George St.; 3 Killed (2016)
“Unsupervised cooking” sparked a fire that ended up killing a man, woman and a 6-year-old girl in North Las Vegas. Around 7 p.m., the North Las Vegas Fire Department received “numerous calls” reporting a fire on Dec. 1 at 2736 St. George St., near Civic Center Drive and East Carey Avenue. Nearly 50 firefighters responded to the single-story house fire, taking about an hour to bring the blaze under control. The home, which had no working smoke detectors, sustained $250,000 worth of damage and was declared a total loss. Authorities said the three victims were trapped inside and rushed to a nearby hospital. They later died from their injuries.
Westlake Apartments; 3 Killed (2016)
The Las Vegas Fire Department responded to the Westlake Apartments, a complex in the Central Valley, just before 1 a.m. on Jan. 19, 2016, and found flames shooting from the windows. Two residents died that day, one of whom was an 8-year-old girl; another died days later. Records obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal show the complex failed its annual inspection earlier that year because of barred windows, chained exits and outdated fire alarm systems.
In 2018, the Las Vegas Review-Journal established investigation that the deadliest fires are clustered in areas with older homes and apartments where current safety measures such as sprinklers and interconnected smoke alarms are not required.
Contact Akiya Dillon at [email protected].