Santa Ana : Early Morning Blaze Leaves 6 People Injured

Four members of a family suffered smoke inhalation and two guests were injured as they leaped from a balcony during an early morning fire, firefighters reported Sunday.

The blaze broke out about 3:45 a.m. at 406 E. Bishop St., Battalion Chief Richard Keller said.

The fire caused $90,000 in damages to the house and might have caused more serious injuries, Keller said, if the mother, Lucina Dollberg, 45, had not smelled smoke and awakened the rest of the family.

“The only thing I can say is the good Lord was watching over them,” Keller said. “They didn’t have smoke detectors in the house. The only smoke detector in the house was the wife’s nose.”

Two guests were the most seriously injured. Juan Debonis, 72, suffered first- and second-degree burns of the hands, feet, throat and face. Miguel Loyola, 26, suffered a broken right arm, Keller said. Both were taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.

The Dollberg family suffered smoke inhalation. Lucina Dollberg and her two children, Marsha, 9, and Jurgen, 6, were treated at Western Medical Center and released, Keller said. Jorge Dollberg, 47, did not require hospital treatment, Keller said.

Firefighters determined that the blaze started in the living room, but the cause has not been determined.

He said the fire caused about $45,000 damage to the structure and about $45,000 loss of property inside the house.