UPDATE: Families and children are living in fear after squatters move into their community. It's happening after the second fire at their apartment complex this year.
"If I put too much thought into it, it will scare me," said 10-year-old Jordan Mangus.
The child's bedroom is just steps away from one of the squatter occupied buildings. His biggest fear is that his grandmother, Noreen Mangus, may be injured.
"I don't want to end up losing her one day," living steps from squatters... Afraid for grandma's safety @KTNV pic.twitter.com/BgfOkONKOh
— Mahsa Saeidi (@MahsaKTNV) March 1, 2016
"I don't want to end up losing her one day," he said.
The family has lived in the complex for a decade. They say the squatter problem gets worse each month.
"You really got to watch everything you do," said the grandmother. "Whatever you throw away, they're going to go through it."
Residents say each unit is individually owned, but one company manages the entire complex.
"I stumbled across it actually" how one illegal tenant finds the next place to squat. Tonight on @KTNV pic.twitter.com/K7nxNKEUfO
— Mahsa Saeidi (@MahsaKTNV) March 1, 2016
13 Action News has reached out to the company and is waiting to hear back.
ORIGINAL STORY
Firefighters responded to a blaze at an apartment building Sunday morning for the second time in the past few months.
Squatter fire near Desert Inn and Maryland Pkwy. Fire captain says 2nd one at apt complex recently, it's frustrating pic.twitter.com/VKtNjCrrR4
— David Schuman (@david_schuman) February 28, 2016
Around 9:45 a.m., the Clark County Fire Department received multiple 911 calls reporting smoke and flames coming from the roof of a an apartment building located at 1400 E. Vegas Valley Drive, just east of Maryland Parkway.
Upon arrival, crews found fire coming from multiple parts of the building. Fire crews worked to keep the blaze from spreading to surrounding buildings. Those efforts combined with firefighting teams on the roof of the building were successful in knocking down the fire in about 25 minutes.
A total of 60 firefighters from both the Clark County Fire Department and Las Vegas Fire & Rescue responded to this incident.
The Clark County Fire Department’s Fire Investigation Division responded to the scene as this was the second fire in this building in the past few months. At this time the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
There were no injuries as a result of this fire.
There are squatters living throughout the complex, according to neighbors. Onvjuan Scott said illegal tenants living upstairs caused damage to his ceiling and wall.
"They forced the faucet on in the shower, and I guess they couldn't turn it off," said Scott.
Scott, who is the father of a 4-year-old, said he's reported the squatter problem but nothing ever changes.
"I worry about the fire aspect of it, if we fall asleep," said Scott. "We wake up and we're trapped in."
Investigators said approximately $100,000 of damage was caused by the most recent fire.
