Fire in Condominium Causes $50,000 Damage

A closet fire discovered by a child Tuesday afternoon caused about $50,000 damage to a condominium, firefighters said.

The child saw the fire in a second-story bedroom about 4:40 p.m. and alerted his mother, who called 911 and evacuated her three children, said Capt. Scott Brown, spokesman for the Orange County Fire Authority.

Sixteen firefighters arrived to find smoke billowing out of the condominium in the 30700 block of Calle Chueca. They needed about 15 minutes to control the fire, which is under investigation.

A smoke detector was located in the house, but its battery was not properly installed, investigators said. Brown said such batteries needed to be replaced at least once a year and residents should double-check that they are properly installed.

“Just remember that when you change your clock, you should also change your battery,” Brown said.