BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS

-- Greg Risling

Costa Mesa firefighters didn’t have to travel far to put out a blaze

Tuesday afternoon that caused minimal damage to a two-story townhouse. No

one was injured.

The blaze began shortly before 12:30 p.m. at a group of townhouses in the

100 block of Morristown Lane, located directly across the street from the

Costa Mesa Fire Department. Five engines responded to the scene, where

smoke was billowing from the roof of one of the structures, authorities

said.

Firefighters were able to get into the home and contained the blaze

within minutes. A faulty heater thermostat was reportedly responsible for

the fire, said Barbara Marcosa, public information officer for the Costa

Mesa Police Department.

“The fire began on the second story where the thermostat was located,”

she said. “The fire extended into the attic and our crews were on the

roof to ventilate the blaze.”

Seven other townhouses were evacuated for precautionary reasons, Marcosa

added. No damage estimates were available Tuesday.