NEWPORT BEACH : 2 Slightly Injured in Balboa Bay Club Fire

Two people suffered minor injuries Tuesday night during a fire that caused extensive damage to an apartment at the exclusive Balboa Bay Club, fire officials said.

A 32-year-old maintenance worker, identified as Leo Pilapil, was taken to Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach for treatment of minor smoke inhalation. John T. Schuler, 76, who lives in the apartment complex at 1221 W. Coast Highway, suffered a cut to his right hand and was treated at the scene by paramedics.

More than 30 firefighters battled the blaze, which started shortly before 6:30 p.m. in the kitchen area of Unit 130, Newport Beach Fire Capt. Randy Scheerer said. The fire was contained in about 10 minutes, he said.

The resident of the unit, Herlane Levin, was not inside the apartment when the fire broke out, Scheerer said.

The cause of the second-alarm fire was under investigation, said Scheerer, who added that a damage estimate had not yet been determined.

About 20 units of the complex were evacuated for several hours as firefighters mopped up the area and the smoke dissipated.

During the blaze, firefighter Terry Lewis rescued a small white cat named Baby, which belongs to Schuler’s 77-year-old wife, Eileen.

“He saved my Baby, I can’t believe it,” Eileen Schuler said. “I was scared to death that Baby was in there. It was awful.”

John Schuler said his wife tried to go back into the apartment after she realized that her cat was still in the unit, which was directly above the apartment that was on fire.

“She couldn’t get back in because there was too much smoke,” he said.

After Lewis saved the cat and handed her back to Eileen Schuler, the relieved owner kissed the firefighter.