3 Are Left Homeless in Blaze; One Hurt

A two-alarm fire Tuesday destroyed a home and slightly injured a firefighter.

Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Scott Brown said 40 firefighters responded to the blaze at a home in the 24000 block of Okeechobee Lane just before noon and controlled it in about 45 minutes.

A family of three was homeless after their house sustained $180,000 in damage.

Four firefighters were treated at the scene for heat-related distress. A fifth, Bill Dietrich, was taken to Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills for treatment of dehydration and later released.

“Firefighters are in good shape,” Brown said. “But the heavy protective clothing and the heat was a very taxing situation. . . . They wear about 100 pounds of layered, protective clothes and an air pack.”

The fire, which is still under investigation, damaged two other homes, causing almost $30,000 in damage, Brown said. A fourth home with a ceramic tile roof briefly caught fire, but damage was negligible.

“The message sent by this is to have noncombustible roofs,” Brown said. “The home with the noncombustible roof had the paint scorched, but that’s it.”