Dana Point : ‘Suspicious’ Fire Leaves Family Homeless

A fire of “suspicious origin” burned through an apartment garage and left one family homeless early Thursday.

The fire began in an enclosed garage in the 33000 block of Colegio Drive about 12:40 a.m., county Fire Department spokeswoman Kathleen Cha said.

The flames spread out the front door of the garage and up through the eaves of the building to an apartment above, she said.

Seventeen firefighters put out the blaze in about 20 minutes, but not before enough damage was done to make the apartment uninhabitable.

The three members of the Metzger family are being provided room and board in a motel by the American Red Cross until Sunday, when they plan to stay with relatives, a Red Cross spokeswoman said Thursday.

There were no injuries, and damage was estimated at $27,100, Cha said.