Arsonist burns 3 cars in Las Vegas alley, may be behind other fires

Authorities are investigating a string of fires in Las Vegas near Jones Boulevard and U.S. Highway 95, including three car fires that investigators believe were deliberately set.

Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said the car fires occurred in the same window of time — between 5:15 a.m. to 6:15 a.m. — over the last eight days in an alley on the 6000 block of Bromley Avenue.

Three other fires also were reported in the same neighborhood since Oct. 8. Two of these fires were in dumpsters. Another minor fire was reported at a laundromat facility in the same area. All were quickly extinguished by firefighters.

No one was injured in any of the fires.

Szymanski said the fires “seem like more than a coincidence,” adding “the laundry room fire…and the dumpster fire we don’t know if they are arson or not. The three vehicle fires, they were the result of arson.”

Area residents are concerned. Mindy Moe lives off Jones Boulevard, near the alleyway where the three cars were discovered. On Monday at about 6 a.m. she heard the “loud boom” of a car exploding in the alley.

“I was in my kitchen and I heard this big boom,” Moe said. “I didn’t pay attention to it but my husband came out and he was like, ‘There’s a fire back there!’ So we ran back there to make sure nobody needed help and the car was just up in flames.”

Moe said having so many fires in the neighborhood is “kind of scary.”

Another man who lives in the neighborhood, Jerry Winkler, said he occasionally walks down the alley where the cars burned.

“I just saw this car sitting there, all burned up,” Winkler said. “I just looked at it and said ‘Oh my God.’ I was just like dang who would do that?”

The Metropolitan Police Department opened an investigation into the fires this week.

Szymanski said there are no direct witnesses. In one of the car fires a mattress was set up against a vehicle and lit, causing the vehicle to burn.

“We are looking to see if there is any connection to them and at the same time Metro is looking into it and patrolling the area,” Szymanski said.

Szymanski said arson investigators are asking for the public’s help. Anyone with information can call 702-229-0363. You can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555.

Contact Glenn Puit at gpuit@review-journal.com or 702-383-0390. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.