Overloaded extension cord cause of fire

An early morning residential fire that caused $500,000 worth of damage to a Newport Beach home was caused by an overloadedextension cord, fire officials said Monday.

The fire, which ravaged the home of Sture and Huong Davidsson around 6 a.m. Saturday, began in a guest room behind the garage. The room belonged to the Davidsson’s son, who was not home at the time.

The house in the 2900 block of Cliff Drive in Newport Beach was red-tagged by the Newport Beach Fire Department after it destroyed three of the family’s four cars, the garage, guest room and most of the kitchen.

The family will not be able to live on the property until it has been remodeled.