Arrest Made in Historic Mizpah Hotel Fire

The fire at the historic downtown Reno hotel began just after 10:00 PM killed six and injured dozens.

Photo: ghostdepot.com

(RENO, Nevada) - Reno police arrested 47-year-old Valerie Moorea, a resident of the Mizpah Hotel in downtown Reno Wednesday morning, on one count of first degree arson and multiple counts of murder for the fatal fire that broke out in the historic hotel late Tuesday night.

The arrest was announced Wednesday morning in a joint news briefing held near the scene of the fire by Reno Police Chief Michael Poehlman and Reno Fire Chief Paul Wagner. Reno police detectives and fire investigators say that at least six individuals died in the fire that was reported at about 10:02 PM Tuesday in the Mizpah Hotel that was built in 1922.

One fatality was confirmed at around 11:30 PM. at the scene of the fire.

Firefighters with technical rescue training began searching the building during fire operations at about 2:00 AM discovered the bodies of five other victims, but said there is a possibility that more victims may be discovered in an area of the north wing of the hotel where the roof collapsed.

A search of that portion of the building is pending a determination on the stability of the area and possible shoring up of sections in that wing that will allow a thorough search of the building which officials say could take two days or more.

Identification of the victims is pending notification of next of kin in coordination with the Washoe County Coroner's Office.

Reno detectives and fire investigators conducting the joint investigation worked throughout the night with the Washoe County District Attorney's Office to obtain a warrant for Moore 's arrest, and booked her into the Washoe County Jail. Reno firefighters arriving on scene from Station 1, about a block away from the hotel, went into rescue operations to rescue people from inside the building as well as rescue them from windows on the second and third floors in the building using ground ladders. The second arriving engine almost simultaneously began interior firefighting operations. There were reports of some individuals jumping from windows in the building.

Reno police officers at the scene estimated there were 60-80 people in the building at the time of the fire.

Reno fire incident commanders upgraded the incident to a four-alarm fire and quickly had approximately 50 firefighters and support personnel from the fire department with seven fire engines, four ladder trucks, heavy and light rescue units, air supply support truck, Reno Fire Chief Paul Wagner, two battalion chiefs, four division chiefs, the fire marshal and three fire investigators on scene.

Another engine and a fuel truck from the nearby Sierra Forest Fire Protection District also responded to the scene to assist with operations.

A coordinated attack by Reno firefighters successfully held the fire to the north wing, preventing spread to the south wing of the historic u-shaped, three-story masonry building.