Fire forces family out of home

Paul Clinton

A family whose house was badly burned over the weekend when a

candle tipped over onto a bedspread are living with neighbors, a fire

battalion chief said Monday.

Shortly after 4:30 p.m. Saturday, the family of four watched

flames shoot out of the open windows of their one-story house in

northern Costa Mesa, as firefighters rushed to put out the blaze.

The home is in the 1000 block of Cheyenne Street, near South Coast

Plaza.

The blaze, which started in the son’s room, destroyed two bedrooms

and a hallway, as well as causing smoke and heat damage in other

rooms, Costa Mesa Fire Battalion Chief Scott Broussard said.

“The whole room got torched and [the fire] went down the hallway

and got the other room as well,” Broussard said.

Firefighters punched out walls and opened up holes in the roof to

allow smoke to filter out so firefighters could see their way around

to put out the flames, Broussard said.

In all, the fire caused an estimated $3,000 to $5,000 in damage.

The fire was caused when the family’s son left a candle burning as

he left to take a shower. When he returned, his bedspread and bedroom

wall were engulfed in flames.

Fire officials are still investigating why the son was burning

candles while it was still daylight, Broussard said.

The mother, son and daughter of the family were all at home at the

time of the blaze. Fire officials did not release their names.