COUNTYWIDE : 5 Fires Keep County Firefighters Hopping

Five fires raged through Orange County on Monday, including a blaze in Westminster that gutted parts of a business complex and caused an estimated $500,000 in damage, firefighters reported.

Elsewhere, Orange County fire units raced from a Stanton arson fire to Irvine, where three people were slightly injured and their dog killed in a blaze that scorched their condominium, said Capt. Dan Young, a spokesman for the Orange County Fire Department.

In Newport Beach, a house fire at 255 Walnut St. gutted the first floor and caused heat and smoke damage to the second story. The fire was reported about 8:30 a.m. Officials estimated the damage at $90,000.

Later Monday, the Mission Viejo Mall was evacuated as a precaution after a fire broke out in Landmark Travel. The fire, which began at 8:30 p.m., was limited to the travel agency and was extinguished in about 20 minutes.

No injuries other than those in the Irvine blaze were reported.

Ironically, the fires occurred after a series of powerful storms over the weekend dampened structures and available fuel. “Sometimes, even after a lot of rain, when the heat is so intense, it will just dry out the wetness and continue burning,” Westminster Fire Capt. Craig Campbell said.

Authorities have not determined the cause of the fire at 9431 Edinger Ave. in Westminster. It started in a business complex just before 1:30 a.m. As standard procedure, the state fire marshal’s arson unit--equipped with a vapor-sniffing dog--was called to the scene to investigate.

When firefighters arrived, they found the roof of one of the businesses caving in, Campbell said. The fire, which took about an hour to control, raged through a vacant office, a beauty salon, an alteration business, an insurance office and a real estate brokerage.

Monday morning, under sunny skies that belied the grimness of the moment, some of the owners of the destroyed businesses gathered in front of the complex to console each other and their employees.

“I just hope to relocate somewhere close by so that the girls can get back their customers and continue working to keep their minds off what had happened here,” said Jeri Whipperman, owner of the Hair and Nail Gang.

While Westminster firefighters battled their blaze, the County Fire Department was busy with three separate fires at 8440 Cerritos Ave., an industrial complex in Stanton. They started about 2:30 a.m. when someone tossed several homemade firebombs through skylights in the complex. The fires caused an estimated $305,000 in damage.

“Whoever the individuals were that started these fires actually threw Molotov cocktails through the roof,” Young said. “These businesses have nothing in common. . . . It may very well be vandalism.”

Those fires were barely contained when county firefighters were summoned once again, this time to the condominium fire in Irvine, where three people were hurt and their dog killed, Young said. The fire, at 5224 Walnut Ave., caused about $310,000 in damage.

Maria Sabol, a spokeswoman for the County Fire Department, blamed the blaze on gasoline vapors ignited by the pilot light for a central heating unit.

The residents of the condominium, Ember Stites, 28, her 20-year-old brother, Robin, and Elvin Berrios, 34, were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, minor burns and cuts, Sabol said.

Robin Stites had been working on a motorcycle the day before and had removed its gas tank, Sabol said. The tank was placed in the garage, where vapors managed to reach the heater, she said.

While Robin Stites tried to put out the fire with a garden hose, his sister and Berrios were trapped inside the home by flames that had reached the second floor. Sabol said they broke a window and jumped to safety. The dog, however, was apparently unable to escape, she said.

Orange County’s Fire Sites

1. Address: 9431 Edinger Ave., Westminster

Time: 1:23 a.m.

Structure: four businesses--insurance, real estate office, beauty salon and clothing alteration

Estimated damages: $500,000

2. Address: 8440 Cerritos Ave., near Dale Street, Stanton

Time: 2:29 a.m.

Structure: three industrial businesses--Allied Medical and Surgical Co.; Advance Carpet Design; and H.T.C Manufacturing

Estimated damages: $305,000

3. Address: 5224 Walnut Ave., near Austin, Irvine

Time: 5:31 a.m.

Structure: residence

Estimated damages: $310,000

4. Address: 255 Walnut St., Newport Beach

Time: 8:30 a.m.

Structure: residence

Estimated damages: $90,000

5. Address: 27000 Crown Valley Pkwy, Mission Viejo

Time: 8:30 p.m.

Structure: Travel agency in mall

Estimated damages: Unknown