Costa Mesa Man Is Seriously Burned as Fire Destroys His Home
A 66-year-old Costa Mesa man was severely burned in a fire that destroyed his two-bedroom Wilson Street home Monday night, fire officials said.
His roommates, Sue Kimball 41, and Don McBride, 34, said they discovered the fire about 9 p.m. and found Donald Parker in bed with his mattress in flames. The two said they threw a blanket over the fire and dragged Parker outside. Parker was reported in guarded condition at UCI Medical Center.
McBride, a self-employed maintenance worker, said that he, Kimball and Parker rented the house and had planned to move out today. Their belongings were packed, and the electricity was turned off, he said.
Kimball and McBride said they were playing a board game in their darkened bedroom when they smelled smoke.
“We saw a light under Don’s door and then flames all around his bed,” McBride said. The mattress was on fire, and Parker, unable to move, called out, “Get me out of here.”
The fire left Kimball and McBride with only the clothes they were wearing. Kimball was barefoot. “I could sit here and cry,” she said. “But you can’t cry over spilled milk.”
As McBride and Kimball dragged Parker from the house, they had to leave him for a moment to get air because of the thick smoke, McBride said.
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