Waiter Admits Arson (Press, 14 February 1981)
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Summary: Waiter Admits Arson (Press, 14 February 1981)
An apprentice waiter named Philip Bruce Cline, aged 23, has been charged with causing a fatal fire at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel, which resulted in the deaths of eight people. Cline informed police that the blaze was accidentally ignited when his marijuana cigarette set fire to the curtains in a lift lobby while he was engaged in a homosexual act with an acquaintance known only as "Joe." As a result, he faces eight counts of murder and one count of first-degree arson, with the possibility of capital punishment due to the severity of his actions in Nevada. Cline was denied bail by Justice of the Peace Earle White, with arrangements made for a probable cause hearing via closed-circuit television connecting Cline in jail and White at the court. Initially, Cline was the first to report the fire; however, authorities began to suspect him when they found inconsistencies in his account. Lieutenant John Connor explained that Cline underwent a lie-detector test, which he failed, prompting him to confess to starting the fire. The incident has raised alarms in the state, particularly after the recent major fire at the M.G.M. Grand Hotel in November 1980, which claimed 84 lives and injured nearly 700 people. In response, State Fire Marshal Tom Huddleston has called for a stricter fire safety code, advocating for mandatory sprinkler and alarm systems in public buildings exceeding two stories. His recommendations were discussed in a meeting of the Fire Safety Commission, established by Governor Bob List following the M.G.M. Grand tragedy. The ongoing concerns about fire safety in Las Vegas have intensified after this latest incident.
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