Residents Escape Fire in Apartments

Fire destroyed four units of a Santa Ana apartment complex Monday and damaged two others, but residents of the building escaped unharmed.

Flames and smoke were visible for several blocks after the fire began about 3:40 p.m. at the Pepperwood Villa apartments at 814 S. Cypress Street. The fire was brought under control about half an hour later, Fire Department spokeswoman Sharon Frank said. At least six adults and two children were left homeless, and damage was estimated at $300,000, Frank said.

Hector Galvan, a resident of one of the units, said an electrical short in his bathroom started the fire. But officials said they could not confirm that yet and were still investigating.

Galvan, who was on his way home from work in Orange when the fire began, said that problems with the electricity in the apartment complex have been occurring for the past month, with power going out for as long as 2 hours at a time.

Galvan’s wife and three children were at home when the fire started, he said.

“Everything burned,” Galvan said in Spanish. “Papers, the television, the bedroom, everything.”

Galvan said his family, which has lived in the complex for about 5 years, would stay with relatives. His wife was still in tears an hour after the fire as Galvan, their children and neighbors led her away from the charred complex.

Rosalba Candelas, manager of the units, said that there had been a problem with the electricity, but that it was fixed Monday morning.

“I don’t think that’s what caused the fire,” Candelas said in Spanish, holding a baby wrapped in a blanket. “The electricians were here at 10 this morning and they fixed it.”

Candelas said that the complex contains about 20 or so studio apartments, which rent for $510 a month.

Another tenant, Florina Garcia, said she was having her car tuned up a few blocks away when she saw the smoke. She rushed home and found that her oldest daughter, 12-year-old Enriqueta, had led her other three children to safety.

“Everything was cloudy,” Enriqueta said, “and my sister said we’d better leave. . . . I was scared.”

Garcia said she was not sure if electrical problems in the complex could have caused the fire. “It (the power) went out again last night, for about an hour and a half,” Garcia added. “Then the electricians came and fixed it.”

The Red Cross said it was housing eight people at a hotel, and that clothing and necessities would be supplied today.

The fire caused a temporary closing of the northbound lanes of Main Street between McFadden Avenue and Bush Street.