Las Vegas family receives bed for son after devastating fire

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has assumed command of an investigation into an early Tuesday morning fire at an apartment complex that left one person dead and a second unaccounted for.

Las Vegas Fire & Rescue updated on Tuesday that the fire remains under investigation and police will now take over command.

At about 5:04 a.m. Tuesday, LVFR said crews began receiving reports of a fire at The Tides Apartment Complex, 6501 W. Charleston. The department says crews arrived at the scene “within minutes” and said the second alarm was called within five minutes.

LVFR initially said six people were transported to UMC for “physical injuries.” According to Las Vegas fire, two people who were transported were in “serious but stable condition” while four others were in “stable condition.” The agency said a firefighter was also transported with minor injuries. He was cleared and returned to duty, LVFR said.

However, on Tuesday afternoon, the department advised that one person had been found deceased and an additional person was unaccounted for. Early Wednesday morning, LVFR told FOX5 that they had not yet been advised that the missing individual was located.

LVFR then updated that Las Vegas fire would now assume command of the investigation.

“In the city of Las Vegas, anytime a deceased person is found during a fire, the investigation is conducted by three agencies: Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Arson Investigators, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Unit and Crime Scene Investigations, and the Clark County Coroner’s Office,” the department noted.

Despite all of that, people who were displaced due to fire damage said they are devastated.

“You never think it is going to happen to you and then boom your life just shatters,” said residents who were displaced due to the fire.

A family of three who lived at the Tides on Charleston said they lost everything.

“Her wallet, her purse, everything,” said Justin Phillips. “We didn’t even have time to react, nothing.”

The Tides on Charleston rehoused the family at another tides location and the red cross gave them $600 which they used to purchase a wagon full of some essential items.

“Luckily we got the apartment approved so they took the next to get the apartment ready so now they have the keys ready and we don’t have any furniture,” Phillips said.

A woman who was watching FOX5′s coverage of the fire Wednesday afternoon saw the family was in need, so she brought a bed over for their four-year-old child to sleep.

“I saw the story about the family who had been burned out,” Syronah Lawrence said. “I figured, ‘God touched it on my heart that this child needs a bed to sleep in and these people need something to at least get them started back on the road.’”

“I said, ‘Oh thank you lord, there is my prayer,” Nicole Williams, Phillips’ wife, told FOX5. “I asked, ‘How am I going to sleep tonight?’ I even went to get air mattresses. But now I’ve got a bed for my son to sleep on. So it’s all I can ask for.”

With three fires to take place over the last year; both the one in November 2022 and April of this year, others still living at the complex said they are on edge.

“You never know, is it going to be my building next,” said Tides on Charleston resident Tiffani Baker. “What is going to happen.”

“You would think that they would have better control because this is the third fire in a year,” said a resident who was displaced due to the fire.

Las Vegas Fire and Rescue said it does plan to come out to this complex within the next 30 days to check smoke alarms, do another inspection and some educating on how to be fire safe.

FOX5 reached out to the Tides on Charleston who said they have no comment at this time.

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