Fire Guts 4 Units in Tustin Complex

Four apartments were gutted and at least 10 people were displaced Thursday morning when a fire engulfed part of a Tustin apartment complex. One resident was treated for smoke inhalation.

It took 50 firefighters about 50 minutes to extinguish the three-alarm fire, which began in a lower unit of a two-story building at 13822 Tustin East Drive. The fire spread to three surrounding units, leaving them blackened and forcing the tenants to leave.

Line Afa and her husband, who work at a nearby office furniture manufacturing company, lost all their belongings except for their truck and some boxes of decorations and papers.

“We’ve lived in this apartment for four months; we finally got a two-bedroom,” Afa said. “It’s all gone now. Everything’s gone. I’m hoping the [complex] has insurance . . . and can help us. We had some nice furniture. From Germany. All I can do is go to the [Key Inn] and wait to see what happens.” Garry Layman of the Orange County Fire Authority said structural damage to the units, part of the older, stucco Pacific Pointe Apartments complex, was estimated at $800,000, and personal property damage was about $65,000.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.