House, Brush Fires Blamed on Fireworks

Fireworks sparked a blaze at a Thousand Oaks home early Wednesday, causing about $50,000 worth of damage to a Janss Road residence and destroying $15,000 in belongings before firefighters contained the blaze about 1:40 a.m.

Officials also blamed fireworks for touching off a brush fire that scorched about 60 acres on a ridgeline between Moorpark and Fillmore on Monday afternoon.

“Our incidents were more severe this year and probably more numerous,” said Sandi Wells, public information officer for the Ventura County Fire Department. “People were more free about doing fireworks out in the open, even though they were not legal.”

Another house fire in Thousand Oaks tore through an attic on El Cerrito Drive on Tuesday, leaving about $55,000 worth of damage in its wake. Officials are still investigating the cause of the blaze, but have ruled out pyrotechnics.

All told, it was an especially busy holiday weekend for public safety officials.

Two motorists died in separate accidents. Oxnard resident Angel Castanan, 16, was killed early Saturday after he lost control of his car and smashed into a telephone poll on 5th Street near Pleasant Valley Road.

On Monday, truck driver Danny Lawrence Rust, 34, of Agua Dulce died when his semi-trailer truck blew a tire on the Simi Valley Freeway. Rust was ejected from the semi and then crushed by the vehicle after it went out of control and plunged down an embankment.

Authorities said they do not suspect that drugs or alcohol played a part in either accident.

Drunk-driving arrests were down from last year’s Fourth of July weekend. The California Highway patrol arrested 31 motorists from Friday evening through Tuesday night on suspicion of drunk driving. During the same period last year, the CHP reported 32 drunk-driving arrests.