BILLY GOLDFEDER
Reported by FirefighterCloseCalls.com

A CLOSE CALL in Las Vegas today. According to veteran Las Vegas Fire Rescue PIO Tim Szymanski, Fire dispatchers received calls that a house was on fire on Comstock Drive. Engine Co 3 was first on scene with Engine Co. 203 close behind.
As Engine 3 pulled up in front of the house, flames and smoke was showing. As the captain radioed in his report, a male adult came from around the house with a gun and fired two times at the engine hitting it, one shot broke out the right rear cab window where two firefighters sit.

The captain ordered the engine to take off and leave the area and he radioed that the crew was being shot at. At the same time Engine 203 pulled up and saw the man with a gun and proceeded to leave the area behind Engine 3, but not before that engine was also shot. It was hit just under the captain's door window and once in a window on the right rear where the two firefighters sit. Windows in both cabs were shot out.

The two engines left the scene, no one was injured.

The Battalion Chief at the incident kept crews out of the area and advised Metro Police that firefighters were being shot at. Within minutes several police units from several different law enforcement agencies converged on scene.

At 12:51 p.m. Metro advised the scene was safe and fire crews could enter the scene under escort. While firefighters fought the fire two SWAT crews stood by to make sure they were safe. The suspect that shot at the firefighters was shot by police prior to the crews being let back in. When firefighters arrived the second time, there was heavy fire inside the residence. Firefighters did a quick search to see if anyone needed to be rescued, they could not find anyone and quickly evacuated the building.

Because of the progress of the fire, the fire was attacked in the defensive mode for the remainder of the incident. Neighbors told fire investigators that a woman lives in the house alone, she was at work and saw the fire on the TV and came to scene later. She lives alone, relatives are with her. Police are working to determine who the suspect is and why he would be shooting at firefighters and police.

There were no injuries of fire & rescue personnel during the incident.

Associated Press Report

(AP) LAS VEGAS -- Police say one person is dead and a police officer is wounded after a shooting at a burning house in the West Las Vegas neighborhood.

Las Vegas police spokesman Bill Cassell says gunfire erupted as firefighters arrived at a report of a house fire about 12:30 p.m. on Comstock Drive.

That's near Martin Luther King Boulevard and Washington Avenue, a couple of miles west of downtown Las Vegas.

Cassell says a suspect is dead at the scene and the unidentified officer was taken to a hospital with a very minor injury while firefighters doused the fire.

Cassell says six schools in the area were locked down as a precaution after police arrived.

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