for the resort. However, telephones, air conditioning, and four of the tower's five elevators were left non-functional because of the main power failure. Carbon monoxide, freon and methane, all originating from the auxiliary generator, infiltrated the tower through ventilation ducts, forcing an evacuation of the building. Between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., crews from the Southwest Gas Corporation inspected the building with firemen and found no further traces of gas, allowing guests and employees to re-enter the building. A second evacuation was ordered at 2:30 p.m. after another power failure, which rendered the elevators inoperable once again. During the outage, 21 table games remained open with the use of emergency lights, while a bar gave away free drinks. Power was restored at 6:45 p.m., although telephones remained inoperable. Guests were given the option to stay at one of Summa's other hotel properties. Despite the incident, hotel executives stated that the resort maintained 95-percent occupancy. An investigation into the cause of the gas leaks could not begin that day due to the presence of fumes in the basement. During the incident, a news reporter and a cameraman for the local KLAS-TV news channel – also owned by Summa – were beaten and forced out of the hotel lobby by Landmark guards who were armed with clubs and flashlights. Damaged in the altercation was the recording unit for a $37,000 camera owned by KLAS. Other local news crews were allowed to stay at the property to cover the incident. Orders to remove KLAS were given to the guards by hotel management, which had been irritated by recent KLAS news stories that related to Summa's properties, including a story stating that negotiations were underway to sell the Landmark to an Arabian investor. A total of 138 people were hospitalized after inhaling the poisonous gases; they were treated at four local hospitals. Among the hospitalized were nearly 100 hotel guests, and several firemen and ambulance drivers; most of the patients were released from the hospitals within three days of the incident. A 55-year-old man was the sole casualty in the incident. An investigation into the cause of the gas leaks concluded on July 19, 1977, and found that a defective exhaust line on one of the emergency generators was responsible. The line had been installed during the hotel's construction. John Pisciotta, director of the Clark County Building Department, did not believe that he or