Incident number:  0162086          Date:  July 11, 2010            Time of call: 6:36 a.m.

Time of First Unit on Scene: 6:39 a.m. (E10)        Time of Knockdown:  8:15 a.m.

Type of call:  Power Substation Explosion & Fire

Correct address: 1004 S. Main St. (Main/W. Charleston)        CLV Ward:  3

Name: NV Energy                                     Parcel: 139-33-811-007
                                
Zip:   89106                         District/Phantom: 2424-89                 Number of alarms:  Two

Building type: No building                 Number of stories: One         Units:

Size:                                                       When built:  1960
                           
Construction type:                                  Smoke alarms: No      Sprinklers: No        

Number of occupants:  Adults:  None      Teens (18-13): None       Children: None

Any injuries: Yes              How many : Two          Type:  Two adults were taken to UMC with non-life threatening injuries:  one had cuts from flying debris and the other person had slight smoke inhalation. They were on the sidewalk at the time of the explosion.

Damage estimate: Unknown at this time          Description of damage:  Extensive to the NV Energy substation, moderate to light to several businesses in the 900 and 1000 block of S. Main St., S. First Street, Commerce Avenue. Damage consisted mainly of broken glass, some flying metal and brick/concrete block.

Cause of incident:  Under investigation

American Red Cross: No             Pets: No          Status of pets:
 
General information about the incident: Fire dispatchers received a number of calls that a vacant building on South Main Street had exploded and was on fire. They described the explosion as very violent. As fire units responded to the scene, a column of thick black smoke was seen in the sky and as they approached the area on Main Street, the street was littered with debris from the explosion such as broken glass, heavy metal  and concrete block. Instead of a building, firefighters found it was a NV Energy substation surrounded by a concrete block wall which had the appearance of being a building . The electric transformers inside the walls were on fire.  irefighters had to wait for NV Power to arrive and shut off the power to the substation before the fire could be extinguished. At the same time, firefighters arriving on scene detected a natural gas odor and found it was coming from under the street at Coolidge Avenue and First Street. A near-by apartment complex was evacuated because of the gas leak. About 25 people were evacuated. Southwest Gas was notified and arrived on scene with several crews to find the source of the leak and stop it. The gas leak was stopped at 8:45 a.m.  Firefighters had the fire out in the NV Energy substation out at 8:15 a.m.

The cause of the incident is under investigation by the Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Fire Investigations and Bomb Squad unit along with special investigators and technicians from Nevada Energy and Southwest Gas. The cause is undetermined-under investigation.  LVFR Fire Investigators at this time believe the incident was accidental and found no preliminary evidence that the incident was an intentional act to cause harm or damage. It will be at least four days before a number of test results are completed to help determine the exact cause. 

At this point the incident is undetermined-under investigation, appears to be accidental.A complete number of businesses affected is not available at this time and will probably not be available until tomorrow. The task of checking each building for damage and extent is being conducted by the city of Las Vegas Building and Safety Department. The city of Las Vegas Public Works department is working to clean up the debris and broken glass in the street. The city of Las Vegas Animal Control also assisted with a guard dog that was left in one of the lots and was extremely scared by the incident. Clark County School District Police responded and opened the Las Vegas Academy for an evacuation center for any displaced victims. At 9 a.m. the school was closed after it was determined that no residents would be displaced. There was a minor power outage in the area which affected mainly commercial customers, NV Energy re-routed power in the area and was able to supply power to all of its customers in a very short time.  Metro Police provide assistance by closing several streets in the area including Main Street, West Charleston Boulevard, Casino Center, First Street, Commerce Avenue, Coolidge Avenue and Hoover Avenue and with evacuations.

There were no injuries to emergency responders. 

Number of Units on Scene: 21
E10,4,1,201,203, T1,3, R10,201, CB8, HR44, EMS1, AR1, B1, PIO1, 6i1, 6i5, 6i11, 6i12, 103, 116
Number of Personnel on Scene: 51