Fire causes $120,000 in damage
Deepa Bharath
CORONA DEL MAR -- A 29-year-old man escaped with minor burns after a
fire early Thursday gutted his second-story apartment in the 4300 block
of Shorecrest Lane, causing $100,000 in structural damage and $20,000 in
other property damage, officials said.
Jason Hagerty was awakened by the smell of smoke about 5 a.m., when he
opened his eyes to find himself surround by huge flames and thick smoke,
said Capt. John Blauer, spokesman for the Newport Beach Fire and Marine
Department.
Hagerty dialed 911 and tried unsuccessfully to subdue the flames
before firefighters arrived, Blauer said. Within moments the flames burst
through the bedroom window, and Hagerty ran down the stairs.
Hagerty suffered moderate burns to his left foot and minor burns to
his hands and face, Blauer said. Paramedics treated him on the spot and
then took him to UCI Medical Center to be examined.
“It wasn’t anything major,” Blauer said. “We just followed standard
procedure by taking him to the hospital.”
Eighteen firefighters in two trucks, three engines and a battalion
chief extinguished the fire outside and confined it to the upstairs
bedroom and bathroom in three to four minutes, he said.
“The bedroom and bathroom are in pretty bad shape,” Blauer said. “The
roof was also considerably damaged.”
Additional firefighters helped put out the fire completely, he said.
Investigators have concluded the fire began in the bedroom where
Hagerty was sleeping but have not yet determined how it started, Blauer
said.
He said the fire did not spread to other homes in the apartment
triplex because the roof did not have a common attic.
American Red Cross representatives arrived on the scene and utilities
to the complex were shut off. Apartment owner Charles Zidell said he
feels “very lucky” the fire did not spread to the other apartments.
He said none of the other residents were evacuated and electricity is
now back on.
“Only the gas is still shut, and I expect it to be back soon as well,”
he said about noon Thursday.
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