Golden Nugget guest hospitalized after fire
A man was rushed to University Medical Center in critical condition Thursday morning suffering from smoke inhalation in a fire on the 22nd floor of the Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas.
The blaze was reported at 8:26 a.m. in an unfinished guestroom that was used for storing linens and bedding while the floor was being refurbished, said Tim Szymanski, spokesman for the Las Vegas Fire Department.
When firefighters got to the room, the hotel sprinkler system had extinguished the fire, but the room was filled with black smoke.
Firefighters crawled along the floor to check for victims and heard a man moaning. They discovered the man limp in the far corner of the room and not responding to commands.
Investigators determined the man was a registered guest at the hotel but do not know why he was in the room or whether he set the fire, Szymanski said.
No other hotel guests were endangered by the fire as floors 22 through 24 were under renovation and vacant. Guests staying on other floors were allowed to return to their rooms about an hour after the fire.
Contact reporter Adrienne Packer at apacker@review journal.com or 702-387-2904.
