Firefighters were forced to leave an apartment fire Friday afternoon after being informed of a possibly armed man in the unit.
At 4 p.m., the Clark County Fire Department received 911 calls reporting a balcony on fire at the Copper Creek Apartments located at 9490 S. Bermuda Road, near Richmar Avenue.
Upon arrival fire crews found smoke coming from the balcony of a second floor apartment. Firefighters quickly made access through the locked apartment door and were able to extinguish the bulk of the fire when they were informed that a man was barricaded in the apartment and possibly armed with a weapon.
Firefighters retreated from the area leaving all their equipment behind and began evacuating bystanders to a safe location out of the line of sight of the apartment.
Fire Incident Commanders immediately called for assistance from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Approximately 25 minutes after their arrival, Las Vegas police personnel were able to place the barricaded suspect in custody.
He was transported to an area hospital with unspecified minor injuries.
After the suspect was in custody firefighters reentered the apartment and completed the extinguishment of the smoldering fire.
Initial damage estimates are placed at approximately $5,000.
There were no injuries reported to responders or bystanders.
