In far northeast Las Vegas, an apartment building’s roof collapsed onto its upstairs balconies Friday.
Residents stood outside the taped-off building, waiting for Red Cross personnel on scene to help them.
The front of a four-unit building at 2317 Exeter Drive, near Carey Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard, collapsed just after noon, according to the Red Cross. The agency is responding to help.
There was a report of one serious head injury.
All four units were severely damaged, according to the Red Cross.
Fourteen people were displaced, and emergency responders said one person suffered a severe head injury.
Clark County and North Las Vegas firefighters helped several trapped occupants out of the building. No injuries were reported, said CCFD Deputy Chief Thomas Touchstone.
Once all occupants were safely out of the structure, CCFD turned off the natural gas and power to the building. The Clark County Building Department and utility companies were notified.
Katherine Lusk lived in one of the downstairs apartments of the partially collapsed building. She said she was sitting in her home when she heard the front of the roof fall onto the upstairs balconies.
“I kind of knew what it was considering how loud the ‘boom’ was,” Lusk said. “But I was surprised nothing fell down all the way but it was pretty loud.”
Emergency responders say the collapse was not due to a fire, but most likely due to the age of the building.
Lusk said she was not surprised that the roof collapsed, because she had seen it bowing downward for quite some time.
She said her and her neighbors had called the building’s management many times for a large number of repairs, but they never hear anything back.
“Nobody has contacted us back, myself or the other tenants,” Lusk said. “And I know that they’ve called, I’ve called left messages with every extension. Nothing.”
Hallie Daniel, who lives in the building next door, said she would not be surprised if her building’s roof came down the same way. Also she said management never gets back to her for repairs either.
Lusk and Daniel both said rent increased by $500 in the last year as well. Lusk said the increase came with no warning or explanation from management.
Contact Mark Credico at [email protected].