SANTA ANA : Firefighters Find Body of Woman

One woman was killed and two families were driven from their homes Sunday in separate fires of unknown origin, authorities said.

After containing a fire that broke out at about 9:30 a.m. in a commercial building at 1001 E. Washington St., firefighters discovered the body of a woman inside, Santa Ana Fire Department spokeswoman Lori Smith said. The identity of the victim, who had perished in the blaze, was not immediately known.

The Fire Department’s arson squad is investigating the fire at the commercial building, which was being used as a residence, officials said.

Fire officials and neighbors said a man, identified only as Steve, had escaped from the burning building with the help of neighbors who kicked down the front door. Carmen Paiz, 21, and two small children, who lived in the building, also escaped unhurt, they said.

The man, who witnesses said also lived inside the single-story commercial building, was taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana but left the hospital after declining to be treated for smoke inhalation, Smith said.

A neighbor, David Behrens, said the man appeared to have been trapped inside the building and was attempting to break a window to escape when neighbors came to his aid and kicked in the door.

The building’s sign identified the business inside as Superior Fence Inc., fire officials said. Neighbors said that several people lived inside the building. The businesses there appeared to have been inoperable in recent months. The extent of the damage was not immediately known but appeared to have been contained inside the structure.

Paiz, who said her husband was in San Francisco looking for a job, will move in with relatives in the area, Smith said.

Earlier Sunday, another fire caused $20,000 damage to an apartment complex at 2101 S. Pacific Ave. and $10,000 to four vehicles parked inside, fire officials said.

A fire wall prevented the 3:16 a.m. blaze from engulfing apartment units above the carport, fire officials said. The Orange County chapter of the American Red Cross provided food and shelter for a family of two adults and five children who were displaced by the fire, Red Cross spokesman Doug Gavilanes said.