Fire guts Corona del Mar apartment

-- Greg Risling

A late-afternoon blaze that may have started from a burning candle

severely damaged a Corona del Mar apartment Monday.

Firefighters estimated there was roughly $100,000 in damages, both to the

structure and in loss of its contents. The fire was limited to a single

two-story apartment in The Shores complex, in the 900 block of Sea Lane.

No one was injured.

The fire, which could be seen from East Coast Highway, started around

5:45 p.m. Authorities said one of the apartment occupants had just

arrived home and had lighted some candles in the upstairs bedroom. The

resident was downstairs when the candle ignited some drapes and bedding

in the bedroom, authorities said. The residents of the apartment declined

to comment.

“It’s possible she didn’t notice it at first because she was downstairs,”

said Lt. John Blauer, community relations officer for the Newport Beach

Fire and Marine Department. “We were able to contain the fire, though,

just to the bedroom.”

Firefighters controlled the blaze within 30 minutes. The fire may have

also blown an electrical fuse that resulted in the apartment complex’s

loss of power. Electricity was expected to be restored at 2 p.m. today,

an Edison International representative said. Although flames were

contained to one unit, the fire did a good deal of damage.

“There will be quite a bit of cleanup for our crews,” Blauer added.