By Vernon Robison

Moapa Valley Progress

Local volunteer firefighters responded to a house fire at 1745 Meadow Ave. in Moapa on Tuesday, May 31. Neighbors said that the double-wide modular home was the residence of Heather Wamsley.

The fire started a little before 8:30 p.m. Clark County Fire Department investigators said that the fire was caused by a clothes dryer in a utility room of the home.

The emergency call went out first to Moapa Station #72 at about 8:30 p.m. and then to Logandale Station #73 shortly thereafter, according to Chief Mike Johnson, Rural Coordinator for Clark County Fire Department. Overton Station #74 was not called to the scene.

Johnson said that Station #72 responded with an engine, a water tanker, a squad and a tender. Station #73 responded with an engine, water tanker and rescue. In all, the two stations sent 16 responders to the scene, Johnson said.

When firefighters arrived on the scene, they found Moapa residents Chet Pulsipher and Kevin May already there fighting the fire.

Pulsipher had been eating at the nearby Muddy River Cafe earlier that evening. Looking out the restaurant windows, he had seen the fire blazing across the street. Fortunately, he had a water truck parked at his nearby home with its tank full of water.

“I had just filled up the truck to get ready to do some work around my place,” Pulsipher said. “So I went home quick and got the truck and headed over there.”

He found May there already. May, who also lives in the neighborhood, is a firefighter. The two men went to work spraying water on the blaze. By the time firefighters arrived the blaze was nearly under control, Pulsipher said.

But firefighters then spent several hours dousing all of the hot spots and ensuring that the fire was fully extinguished, according to Johnson. He said that firefighters were on the scene until about 2:00 a.m.

Though the neighborhood is not equipped with full fire hydrants, firefighters reported that the stand pipes in the area were sufficient and provided the water that was needed, Johnson said.

Johnson commended the efforts of Pulsipher and May in helping with the firefighting efforts.

“Of course, we don’t want to condone people putting themselves in danger,” Johnson said. “There is a lot of training that firefighters go through to keep safe. Still it is admirable that people living in the community are looking out for neighbors and want to help in situations like this,” Johnson said.

CCFD investigators said that 60% of the structure had been saved through firefighting efforts. The fire caused an estimated $40,000 in damage, according to investigators.