Las Vegas hotel fire fueled by ornamental trees not regulated by county codes

A look at damage caused by a fire at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas.

(Image credit: Twitter.com/LasVegasSun)

published 28 July 2015

A fire that quickly engulfed a pool at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas on Saturday was fueled by decorative trees that are not regulated by Clark County codes.

Current codes govern structures like pool decks and cabanas, but not plants and outdoor furniture, Ron Lynn, director of the county's Department of Building and Fire Prevention, told reporters Monday. The fire started in a cabana at the Bamboo Pool, then spread to the trees, which were made from high-density foam and plastic. One person was hospitalized for smoke inhalation and another was treated at the scene. The fire was put out within 30 minutes, and the pool reopened Sunday.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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