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UPDATE: Parents lose apartment, daughter in about a month's time

3-alarm fire displaces dozens of families
Posted at 1:53 PM, Mar 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-30 00:52:20-04

UPDATE MARCH 29: Brittney Briggs was killed in February while her parents' apartment near Washington Avenue and Rainbow Boulevard caught fire this past week. 

"I'm glad we got out alive," said mom Kim Briggs, "but there's a lot of stuff that was irreplaceable." 

Kim is talking about her daughter's belongings and pictures.

Kim was home with Brittney's daughter, Nadine, when flames engulfed the complex Monday morning.

"It just really scares me that I could've lost my granddaughter in there too," she said.

Despite what they've been through, Kim and her husband, Jon Schaffner, have a remarkably positive outlook. 

"It's amazing, when stuff like this happens," Schaffner said, "just people that you don't even know come up to you and offer help."

Police tell 13 Action News there are no new leads in the case. They're urging anyone with information to come forward. 

UPDATE MARCH 28: The 3-year-old daughter of a woman who was killed in February was living with her grandparents at the apartment complex that caught fire Monday.

ORIGINAL STORY

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) -- Dozens of people were displaced after an apartment complex caught fire near Washington Avenue and Rainbow Boulevard.

Las Vegas Fire and Rescue first reported the fire at Cornerstone Crossings around 10:40 a.m. Monday. Arriving crews spotted flames coming through the roof.

A third alarm was called to the scene around 11:40 a.m. as the flames continued to spread. The fire was out at about 12:15 p.m.

On arrival heavy smoke was showing from several apartments of a two-story wood frame/stucco apartment building with 16 units. When firefighters went to the other side, at least one quarter of the building was covered in flames. 

The flames were being fanned by stiff northerly winds. A second alarm was requested.
 
By the time the second alarm arrived, the flames had extended into the attic by the winds. Several buildings in the apartment complex were evacuated as a precaution.  The winds were pushing the flames into the attic faster than firefighters could get water on it. 

The roof of the building was also in danger of collapse, so firefighters had to fight the fire from the outside. A third alarm was dispatched.
 
It took approximately one hour to douse most of the fire in the building.

The American Red Cross is assisting at least 40 people who were displaced by the fire.

Fire investigators ruled the fire accidental; they believe it is the result of smoking. The fire started on a downstairs outside patio on the front of the building. 

Witnesses said the fire started outside on the patio and several people used fire extinguishers in an attempt to put the fire out.  But the stiff winds spread embers and fanned the flames to the decking above and to other apartment units.  Within minutes the fire spread to at least one quarter of the building.
 
The building sustained extensive damage.  Damage is estimated at $1 million.
 
There were no reported fire related injuries during the incident.  There were two minor medical emergencies during the incident; both victims were taken to area hospitals.