Fontainebleau Hotel Fire on Las Vegas Strip Extinguished with No Injuries

Article ByDavid Weir

July 24, 2023

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Posted in: Nevada Gambling News, US Casino News

A rooftop fire broke out Saturday afternoon at the under-construction Fontainebleau Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. It was extinguished by firefighters with no injuries reported. The fire caused a plume of smoke that was visible for miles and was widely reported on social media.

The blaze, which ignited roofing materials and debris, was reported around 3:41 p.m. and extinguished by 4:19 p.m. 89 firefighters were in attendance.

The Fontainebleau is set to become Las Vegas’ newest luxury casino resort when it opens in December at a total cost of $3.9 billion.

Development on the casino resort first began in 2007, before facing several lengthy delays because of the global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current owners of the Fontainebleau Hotel Las Vegas, Koch Real Estate Investments, secured a $2.2 billion funding round in December 2022 that it hopes will finally see the resort launch. Backers include a Who’s Who of U.S finance institutions, such as JP Morgan, Blackstone Real Estate, Goldman Sachs, and Las Vegas Strip casino landlord VICI Properties.

No dollar cost has been given for the fire damage so far, and it is unknown if the launch time line for the resort will be affected.

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Firefighters’ Swift Response, No Injuries Reported

Firefighters from the Clark County Fire Department and Las Vegas Fire and Rescue responded to the scene within six minutes of the initial report.

A total of 89 personnel, including 12 fire engines, four ladder trucks, seven rescue units, four Battalion Chiefs, two heavy rescue units, and two helicopters were involved in the response.

The firefighters were able to use the building’s elevators to reach the roof and quickly doused the fire, containing it to the rooftop. The building’s fire pumps were working as expected, aiding in the firefighting efforts.

Despite the dramatic scene, no injuries were reported, and the fire did not spread beyond the rooftop.

In a statement released after the fire, hotel officials confirmed that the blaze was not too serious and was quickly contained.

“A minor fire that occurred at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on the rooftop has been quickly contained, and there are no injuries. The fire started at approximately 3:41 p.m. and the cause is under investigation,” the statement read.

“As safety and security are our highest priorities, we are working closely with the investigators, and additional questions regarding the fire should be directed to the Clark County Fire Department,”

Public Reaction and Speculation

The sight of heavy smoke billowing from the hotel led to multiple calls from concerned locals and tourists.

“At least it was on the roof and not on any of the main floors,” Las Vegas visitor Aaron Pollard told local outlet 8NewsNow. “As long as it doesn’t delay the opening, too bad.” 

Temperatures reached 114 degrees in the city on Saturday, That lead some to speculate that the intense heat, which Las Vegas valley has been experiencing since last week, might have contributed to the blaze.

However, that speculation has not been confirmed by the fire department or officials.

Others looked at the fire as evidence of the continued bad luck of a hotel resort that has seen its construction delayed since 2007.

“It seems like it’s sort of a cursed building,” one local told reporters.