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.