Neighbors Brave Fire, Save Elderly Victims

Four alert neighbors braved intense heat and smoke to help rescue the elderly residents of a board-and-care home that was gutted by fire early Sunday, officials said.

Six boarders, whose identities were withheld pending notification of relatives, were taken to various hospitals, including three with critical injuries, said Judy Jewell, Costa Mesa Fire Department battalion chief.

Two of the critically injured victims were taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange for treatment of burns and smoke inhalation, Jewell said. The other was taken to Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach with smoke inhalation injuries.

Two other smoke inhalation victims, one taken to Hoag Hospital and the other to College Hospital Costa Mesa, were reported in satisfactory but guarded condition, Jewell said. Another person was treated at College Hospital and released.

Julian and Lucy Syariff, caretakers of the facility at 259 Santo Tomas St., their two children and a friend were unharmed by the 3:45 a.m. blaze, fire officials said.

According to fire investigators, the blaze originated in the laundry room, located at the back of the house. Jewell said either a mechanical malfunction in a clothes dryer or a combustible behind the unit, such as loose clothing or lint, is believed to have sparked the blaze.

Had it not been for the rescue efforts of the facility’s neighbors, the injuries could “have been really serious,” Jewell said.

Brian Williams said he first heard some “crackling sounds” and thought there were burglars nearby. So, he loaded his gun and looked out the window.

“I saw smoke and said to myself, ‘this is no barbecue,’ ” said Williams, 32.

Williams said he immediately ran to the board-and-care home and started pounding on the door. He then ran to another neighbor’s house, woke the family up and asked for assistance.

Williams, together with neighbor Dario Ruffini and his sons, John and Richard, ran back to help evacuate the house.

Inside the house, “there was this older man and woman and they were just standing in the doorway watching the fire,” Williams said.

He carried the woman outside, then ran back inside and led the man to safety, Williams said.

Then, he and Richard Ruffini, 17, charged back into the house to evacuate more people but were immediately overcome by stifling smoke and heat, Williams said. So, they yelled for help.

Hearing the cries, Dario and John Ruffini, who were on the other side of the fence outside the house, pried loose the wooden boards to get to Williams and Richard Ruffini.

“I tried to kick (the fence) and it didn’t budge,” said John Ruffini, 21. “Finally, we pried the boards loose and the gate went down and out came Brian and John carrying a lady.”

By then, firefighters arrived, and they rescued three other residents. The fire was brought under control in 30 minutes, Jewell said.

Williams and the Ruffinis “played an important role in saving the victims and should be commended,” Jewell said. “They had very good intentions, but they could’ve become victims themselves.”

Peter Albrecht, the owner of the boarding facility was out of town and unavailable for comment. Fire officials said the converted seven-bedroom single-story house was licensed to accommodate six residents.

Estimated damage to the house and its contents was $170,000, authorities said.