PLACENTIA : Fire Injures 1, Causes Damage to 2 Homes

A fire of unknown origin injured one resident and caused $68,000 damage to a home on Sunday night, officials said.

Orange County firefighters were called around 11:30 p.m. to a house in the 500 block of Kansas Avenue owned by Nazario M. Cortez, who was inside his home with nine others at the time, said Fire Department spokeswoman Maria Sabol.

One resident, Maria Cortez, was treated at Placentia Linda Hospital and released with second-degree burns to her back and shoulders, Sabol said. Several other occupants of the house escaped without injury.

A neighboring home sustained $2,500 damage in the blaze. It took 15 firefighters about 12 minutes to bring the fire under control, and assistance was provided by Anaheim and Fullerton fire departments.

The cause of the fire, which broke out in a bedroom, is under investigation. Red Cross officials said they provided hotel accommodations, food and clothing for the 10 people staying in the home.

Sabol said the house did not have a smoke alarm and reminded the public that the Fire Department suggests checking smoke detector batteries this weekend when the clocks are turned back to Pacific standard time.