Costa Mesa Fire Destroys 2 Businesses
Firefighters battled for more than four hours this morning to extinguish a stubborn two-alarm blaze that destroyed one business and heavily damaged another at a light industrial complex.
Two firefighters were injured.
The fire, which was reported at 5:11 a.m., destroyed three units in the building in the 1700 block of Monrovia Ave., Costa Mesa Fire Department spokeswoman Susan Wood aid.
“They’ve been putting water on it all morning,” Wood said as firefighters from an engine company poured thousands of gallons of water on the smoldering ruins. “They can’t get it to go out.”
The fire appeared to have started in an end unit occupied by Sunbird Enterprises, a patio furniture company. Wood said that the cause of the fire had not been determined but that once it started, it was difficult to extinguish because the flames were feeding on tall stacks of polyurethane foam padding used to stuff cushions.
The fire spread to the adjoining business, HP Marine, before firefighters were able to bring it under control.
Firefighter Fred Seguin was taken to Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach for observation after he complained of abdominal pain. He was hit with a stream of water, Wood said. Firefighter Jeff Janzen was treated at the scene for a “tweaked knee.”
Accurate damage estimates were not immediately available, Wood said, but noted that the patio furniture business was destroyed.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
