Van burns after crashing into wall at Costa Mesa apartment complex

A Costa Mesa traffic signal, utility box and apartment complex carport were damaged when a van slammed into a wall and caught fire Saturday morning.

Costa Mesa firefighters responded to a report of the crash just before 9 a.m. near the intersection of Bear Street and Paularino Avenue. When they arrived, firefighters found the van on its side and engulfed in flames, said Costa Mesa Fire Department Battalion Chief Kevin Diamond. The blaze spread to a wall of an apartment complex and a tree, Diamond said.

Firefighters extinguished the flames within about 15 minutes, he said.

Authorities believe the van jumped a curb and hit traffic signal and utility boxes before crashing into the carport wall that separates the apartment complex from the street. The cause of the crash was unclear, authorities said.

Two people were taken to trauma centers for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

The crash and blaze caused an estimated $2,000 in damage to the carport.

—Hannah Fry