Cutting Torch Cause of Monte Carlo Hotel Fire in Vegas

A hand-held cutting torch used by workers who did not have proper permits was the cause of last Friday's Monte Carlo Hotel fire in Las Vegas, fire officials revealed on Thursday.

Workers were apparently reckless in cutting corrugated steel to set up window-washing equipment Friday at the casino on the Las Vegas strip, failing to use proper mats to protect the roof. 

If the contracting company, Union Erectors LLC, had applied for a permit, it would have been advised how to perform the work safely and likely been approved in four to five weeks, said Deputy Fire Chief Girard Page.

"It does take time and effort, but it's not that difficult," Page said.

Construction workers using four hand-held extinguishers failed to put the blaze out, fire officials said.

Union Erectors had only a permit from the county to install window-washing equipment at the hotel, but not to conduct work with torches. A complete report on the investigation was still being compiled.  Investigators are reviewing whether to cite the contractor, which could result in fines of $1000 per misdemeanor citation.  Six months jail time per citation is also possible. 

On January 25, 2008 at around 11:00 AM local time, a three-alarm fire broke out on the exterior of the upper floors and roof of the casino. Portions of the hotel facade burned and fell off the hotel, starting smaller fires on a ledge three floors below. The fire was fully contained an hour after it began. It was an exterior fire, although there was water damage to five floors.

The hotel cannot reopen until the burnt facade is cleared and that won't happen until some time after Super Bowl weekend, which is traditionally one of Las Vegas's busiest. 

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Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com

Originally published February 1, 2008 12:01 am EST