MONTE CARLO CASINO IN FLAMES

A casino near and dear to my heart is curently on fire ...

A three-alarm fire is burning on the south tower roof at the Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino. The fire is on the 32nd floor and higher. Thick, black smoke is pouring from the top of the building.

People are being evacuated from the Monte Carlo property to the Bellagio and New York-New York. Reports from local papers say four Monte Carlo employees were stuck on the roof. Let's hope they got out...

No cause for the fire is known at this time and there are no known injuries. Fire crews from Clark County, City of Las Vegas and Henderson are on the scene.

Las Vegas Boulevard is shut down between Tropicana Boulevard and Harmon Avenue. I-15 had not been closed by 11:45 a.m., but the northbound and southbound ramps at Spring Mountain Road, Flamingo Road and Tropicana Avenue were closed due to the fire. Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman Kevin Honey said the closures are to keep the general public out of the area so firefighters "with heavy machinery" can do their jobs.

The fire was reported by passersby shortly before 11 a.m.

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