Woman Killed as Fire Sweeps Her Apartment in Laguna Hills

An elderly woman died Tuesday night when a fire swept through her two-bedroom apartment in the 500 block of Avenida Majorca in Laguna Hills, authorities said.

Investigators said the woman, who was not immediately identified, was found in the living room of her Leisure World apartment where the fire is believed to have started, Orange County Fire Capt. Patrick McIntosh said.

It took 20 firefighters about seven minutes to put out the fire, which caused about $50,000 damage to the structure and contents, McIntosh said. Although firefighters were able to save most of the apartment, McIntosh said the rooms were heavily damaged by smoke.

The woman, who shared the apartment with her son, was apparently alone when the fire broke out, McIntosh said. Her son had gone shopping several hours earlier.

The apartment, one of four in a tiny complex, was equipped with a smoke detector but did not have sprinklers, McIntosh said. The cause of the blaze was unknown, he said.