A history of fire inspections at the Alpine Motel Apartments

A fire at the Alpine Motel Apartments in downtown Las Vegas on Dec. 21, 2019, left six people dead, 13 injured and dozens displaced. Records released in January detail the Alpine’s fire inspection history but also raise questions about a 32-month gap — between April 2017 and the day of the deadly blaze — during which zero inspections were conducted.

Oct. 2, 2006

The property had at least nine fire inspections before the current owner, Las Vegas Dragon Hotel LLC, bought the building in 2013.

Records dating back to Oct. 2, 2006, show the property passed six fire inspections and failed three.

Feb. 12, 2013: FAIL VIOLATIONS: 6

The Alpine fails its first inspection under Las Vegas Dragon Hotel LLC’s tenure.

Records note six violations, which cited emergency lighting issues, the building’s fire alarm system and fire extinguishers.

March 20, 2013: FAIL VIOLATIONS: 7

A month later, the Alpine again fails a fire inspection.

Records note seven violations.

April 3, 2013: FAIL VIOLATIONS: 6

The Alpine fails another fire inspection.

Records note six violations. “One of the biggest issues is the fact the fire alarm system is not monitored,” an inspector wrote.

April 23. 2013: PASS

In a follow-up inspection, the Alpine passed.

It marked the only time during Las Vegas Dragon Hotel LLC’s tenure that the Alpine passed a fire inspection.

March 15, 2016: PARTIAL PASS VIOLATIONS: 3

The next fire inspection did not occur until 2016, records show. The Alpine partially passed.

This inspection was conducted with code enforcement, an inspector noted. Three violations were listed.

March 21, 2016: FAIL VIOLATIONS: 5

In a follow-up inspection, the Alpine again fails.

Records note five violations.

May 2, 2016: FAIL VIOLATIONS: 5

Two months later, the Alpine fails another fire inspection.

Records note five violations, including an exit that was inoperable without “special knowledge or effort,” because an inspector noted at the time that the front door needed to be both twisted and pulled to be opened.

August 2016: FAIL

Three months later, the Alpine again fails — three times in one month.

“Still no compliance,” an inspector wrote during one of three August 2016 inspections, records show. During a followup inspection that month, an inspector met with Adolfo Orozco, the managing member of the LLC that owns the Alpine. Orozco told fire officials “he can have everything completed within 30 days.”

Jan. 30, 2017: FAIL VIOLATIONS: 4

The Alpine fails its first fire inspection of 2017.

Records note four violations.

Fed. 13, 2017: FAIL VIOLATIONS: 4

Less than a month later, the Alpine again fails a fire inspection.

Records note four violations.

March 14, 2017: FAIL VIOLATIONS: 2

During its second-to-last inspection of 2017, a fire inspector met with Orozco.

The Alpine failed its inspection, with records noting two violations, but Orozco said he could make the proper updates in a month.

April 26, 2017:

CASE CLOSED

The last inspection is conducted before December 2019. Records note the inspection was “closed.” City Fire Marshal Robert Nolan said that’s because the property came into compliance after the inspection. The property was then referred to a Las Vegas fire inspection team that focuses on safety at apartment buildings and multifamily units. The team was only a concept at the time, though, and months later, it was determined the Alpine did not qualify, because it was considered a motel instead of an apartment complex.

Dec. 22-23, 2019

VIOLATIONS: OVER 40

After the fire, inspectors returned to the scene with Las Vegas police as part of a post-fire analysis aimed at helping officers conduct a criminal investigation. Nolan said this was not a regular inspection. “We pointed out things that Metro was interested in that may have contributed to the fire.”