SPECIAL TO THE PVT Neftaly Urite, 12, stands in front of the firefighers in their turnout gear. He was rewarded with a firefighter's T-shirt for alerting his family that their home was on fire. From the left, he is surrounded by, Elan Thompson, Kristina Rook, Shaun Gilliland, Delesa Smith, Ricky Hamlin, David Swango and Lon Fuller. HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT Bikers prepare to blast off from East Street Cycles on a poker run to Amargosa Valley. Proceeds from the event benefited Sheriff's Dep. Joe Cohan, who lost his home to a fire earlier in the month. Advertisement

AMARGOSA VALLEY -- Faulty water heaters were responsible for starting two fires just three days apart in Amargosa Valley, according to Amargosa Volunteer Fire Department Chief Lon Fuller.

The first fire, March 6, was at the residence of Dep. Joe Cohan, a 25-year veteran with the Nye County Sheriff's Office. An electric water heater started a fire in the bathroom and soon had the home engulfed in smoke and flames.

Cohan's wife, Tootsie, was napping on the couch, recovering from a recent surgery, when her small dog woke her. She was able to safely exit the home.

The Cohans lost their home and all their possessions. Their dog went back into the home, perhaps confused by the smoke, and perished in the fire.

Allen Lynn, who, in addition to being an Amargosa volunteer firefighter, is also a Nye County deputy. He was one of the first volunteers on the scene of the fire, according to Sheriff Tony DeMeo.

"Dep. Lynn spent the day fighting the fire, then he went home to get dressed to cover Joe's shift," said DeMeo, who was in Amargosa Valley in support of Cohan, who works the Central Area Command.

"An NDOT driver who is a Beatty Volunteer Fire Department member was working a couple of miles down the road," said Fuller. "His boss let him come and help us, and he was a big help."

Valley Electric also responded to the scene, turning off the electricity to the area. According to Maggie Herzig, whose Stateline Saloon is close to the Cohans' home, said VEA turned the transformer off about 9 a.m. Firefighters left the home at 4 p.m., and power was returned about 4:15 p.m.

Unfortunately, in addition to losing a couple's home, Amargosa VFD lost a water tender as well.

"The engine compartment burst into flames," Fuller explained. "We are really hurting for water around here. Coincidently, Commissioner Joni Eastley and Round Mountain Chief Dan Sweeney let us have a 1975 water tender awhile back. We just got it road worthy. It's not a Ferrari, but it will get us by for awhile.

"Also, the Nye County Road Department allowed us to take a department water tender that day. Thanks to them, we got by."

On March 8, a mutual assistance call from Amargosa VFD sent 11 firefighters and EMTs from Pahrump's Nye County Fire Station to the area.

At the time the call went out, Amargosa crews were already responding to two emergencies.

At 10:31 a.m. a crew was paged out to Big Dune for an ATV accident involving two victims with extensive injuries requiring transport by two Mercy Air helicopters. Jim Rook Sr., Trevor Dolby, Amargosa Volunteer Ambulance Service and Nye County Sheriff's Dep. Scott Williams were on the scene.

Thirteen minutes later, a structure fire was reported at a home at 1660 East Adobe.

While Pahump's Engine 51 plus a brush truck and two command vehicles rushed to Amargosa Valley, 13 Amargosa firefighters contained the fire close to where it started in the vicinity of the bathroom and bedroom and extinguished it.

"The water heater in the bathroom had a flammable gas leak," said Fire Chief Lon Fuller.

The hero of the day was 12-year-old Neftaly Urite, who discovered the fire and alerted his family to escape.

"When the Pahrump crew arrived, they were diverted to cover the station," said Fuller. "That was a big worry off our shoulders."