An explosion and fire ripped through a westside Reno motel on Saturday, Feb. 1 leaving seven people displaced and five rooms damaged. There are no injuries.
When firefighters from the Reno Fire Department responded to the 2:45 p.m. incident, there was damage already to the five units at the Sunset Motel, 2091 W. 4th Street. Residents attempted to put on the fire before fire personnel arrived on scene.
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At this time in the investigation, firefighters are unsure if the explosion started the fire, or the fire caused the explosion. It started in a mattress in one of the rooms.
Police are allegedly looking for two people who left when the fire started, according to news reports.
The incident caused major damage to the motel. Five units are not livable, and the gas, water, and electricity are shut off, so the entire motel is closed.
There is no set reopening date.
The American Red Cross arrived on the scene to help the displaced residents find shelter. Displaced residents have preloaded debit cards for several days to help them get through the initial turmoil of displacement.
The Red Cross is known for helping victims of major disasters, but they also help families displaced by much smaller, but no less devastating, incidents, such as fires. During the 2017-18 fiscal year, the Red Cross and its partners gave out more than 20 million meals and snacks, paid for over 1 million overnight shelter stays, nearly 9 million relief items distributed, nearly 300,000 health and mental health contacts made, and assisted with recovery for 610,000 households.