FULLERTON : Blaze Causes at Least $400,000 in Damage
A two-alarm fire Wednesday afternoon caused at least $400,000 in damage to a Raymond Hills area home occupied by a 14-member family, including 11 adopted children, fire officials said.
No injuries were reported in the fire that started about 12:45 p.m. at the home of Pierce and Mary Ommanney, although a housekeeper and three others were home when the blaze started, Fullerton Fire Department spokesman Marc E. Martin said.
The fire at the end of a cul-de-sac at 1400 Vista Del Mar Drive sent clouds of heavy black smoke billowing over the neighborhood. Thirty firefighters from Fullerton and Buena Park spent 1 1/2 hours containing the blaze, Martin said.
Besides the children, all of whom are school age, the Ommanneys are also guardians for a blind adult, fire investigator Thomas Thompson said. The family is staying at a nearby hotel, where they were taken by Red Cross workers. The Ommanneys declined to comment about the fire.
The house has 15 to 20 rooms, Battalion Chief Jack Cooper said. The unusual two-story home, which includes a bell tower, was marked by intricate mosaic work on the exterior walls.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, firefighters said.
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