Costa Mesa : Vehicles and Equipment Damaged in Garage Fire

A fire that began in the garage of an apartment complex burned a pickup truck and a late-model Corvette before it was brought under control Sunday, authorities said.

The fire, which began shortly before 10:30 a.m. in the 200 block of West Wilson Street, caused about $30,000 damage, mostly to the cars and equipment in the garage, city Fire Department officials said.

Battalion Chief Gerald Poarch said flames crept out of the garage and damaged the wall and part of a kitchen in an upstairs apartment before about 20 firefighters extinguished the blaze.

A resident, Phil Frazier, 24, said he was working on his truck earlier in the day and left briefly to purchase a water pump. When he returned, the garage was ablaze and firefighters had closed off Wilson Street to all through traffic. In addition to the vehicles, Frazier said he had about $12,000 worth of construction tools in the garage.

Tom Sebastian, 29, said he was awake in his apartment and heard “a series of small bursts” downstairs that he later guessed were spray cans or tires going up in flames. He left when the smell of smoke began to permeate his apartment.

Poarch said the cause of the blaze had not been determined. But Frazier said that he may have left a light on when he went to an auto parts store, and that may have ignited some materials in the garage.

“We’re still piecing together all the information,” Poarch said, adding that the apartment is livable but will need some repairs.