Woman, 99, Is Killed in Fire at Her Newport Beach Home

A 99-year-old woman died Sunday when a light bulb ignited a small fire at her Balboa Boulevard home, fire officials said.

Ida Brinkman was found at 3:11 p.m. on the floor of her home at 523 W. Balboa Blvd., just a block from the Balboa Fire Station, Battalion Chief Don Jones said.

“We really don’t know what happened yet,” Jones said. “This is very sad and very frustrating for us. There really wasn’t much of a fire, but there was a lot of smoke inside the house, which was shut up because of the cool weather.”

Jones said a passerby saw the smoke coming from the small home that faces the boulevard and called firefighters at 3:08 from a nearby pay phone. They arrived at the home in three minutes, but it was too late, he said.

“From the outside of the house, there was hardly any smoke,” Jones said.

Jones said investigators believe that the heat from the incandescent bulb in a lamp somehow ignited a blanket and a chair.

Brinkman was found on the floor next to the still smoldering chair, Jones said.

“Some of the materials in the foam cushions of a chair behave weirdly when they get hot,” Jones said. “We believe it had to be the smoke that contributed in a major way to her death.”

An autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death, Jones said.

An estimated $1,200 damage was done to the contents of the home and $500 damage to the structure.