Firefighters make quick work of Costa Mesa house fire

A passerby who called for help when he or she spotted smoke coming from a Costa Mesa house Monday morning likely saved the home from going up in flames, fire officials said.

When the call came in around 11:12 a.m., crews quickly responded to the one-story house in the 3000 block of Donnybrook Lane, Battalion Chief Tim Vasin said.

The first engine was on scene within five minutes, and firefighters were able to contain flames to the home’s kitchen, where the blaze had started, Vasin said.

Crews doused the flames in about 10 minutes, according to Vasin.

In all, 22 firefighters responded, Vasin said. Nobody was injured.

Fire officials are still investigating what caused the fire, but they think it may have been an electrical in nature.

The fire and smoke caused about $100,000 in damage, Vasin said.

Nobody was home when the fire started, so flames likely would’ve spread throughout the house if the passerby hadn’t spotted the smoke early on, according to Vasin.

“Kudos to whomever that passerby was,” he said.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck