Dancer burned after costume catches fire during Nevada luau
A fire dancer was burned Saturday night when part of his costume caught fire while performing at a luau outside the Lakeside casino in Pahrump.
Initially, the dancer did not realize his costume was on fire as the blaze spread on his left leg, said photographer Horace Langford Jr., who was covering the luau at about 8 p.m..
Fellow members of the dance troupe used a tarp to smother the fire, Langford said Sunday.
In a statement Sunday night, the casino said the performer was being treated at University Medical Center in Las Vegas.
His name and condition were not available.
A second performer was treated and released with minor burns, the statement said.
The fire dancer had been using a pole, about 5 to 6 feet long, when its flames ignited the grass-type clothing on his left leg, Langford said. The pole had been dipped in flammable material prior to the performance, he said.
No one in the nearby crowd was injured, Langford said, and the show eventually resumed with another dancer.
An announcement on the casino’s website referred to the event as the “Lakeside Luau,” a free, all-ages show featuring Las Vegas Hula. “Enjoy the dances of Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa and so much more,” it said.
“We are saddened that an event held to bring enjoyment to our guests took this unexpected turn. Our thoughts are with both performers,” the statement said.
Review-Journal staff writer Mike Shoro contributed to this report.