Four in Family Hurt, 1 Badly, as Home Burns

Four family members were injured, one seriously, when a fire raced through their house early Thursday, causing an estimated $120,000 in damage, firefighters said.

The fire apparently started in the family room of a four-bedroom house in the 3300 block of East Ruth Street shortly after 3 a.m.

Kathleen Farina, 16, who received first- and second-degree burns over 20% of her body, was listed in serious condition at UCI Medical Center in Orange, hospital spokeswoman Fran Tardiff said.

The girl’s father, Joseph Farina, was listed in good condition at Western Medical Center-Santa Ana, where is he was admitted for smoke inhalation and burns to his throat area. His 11-year-old son, Timothy, was treated and released, according to a hospital spokesman.

A 17-year-old daughter suffered a broken foot when she jumped out of a window to escape the fire. The mother escaped injury.

Curt Dodson, who lives across the street from the Farinas, said flames quickly engulfed the one-story house.

“Flames were sky high,” he said.

“Joe went around the house to yell in the window for the girls to wake up,” he said. “One girl jumped out of the window and the other girl who was burned badly came through the house.”

Margaret Musgrave, another neighbor, said she was awakened by her son yelling that there was a fire.

“There were a lot of flames and breaking glass,” she said.

About two dozen firefighters battled the blaze for about 20 minutes before it was brought under control, Orange fire officials said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation, fire officials said.

Dodson said flyers were being passed around the neighborhood to collect money, clothes and other donations to give to the family. The Red Cross is also working with the family by providing shoes, eyeglasses and crisis intervention, according to spokeswoman Sylvia Stewart.