Fire Guts 4 Apartments, Displaces 10 in Tustin

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 both work at a nearby office furniture manufacturing company, lost all their belongings except for their Ford 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 an older, stucco complex called Pacific Pointe Apartments, was estimated at $800,000 and personal property damage at about $65,000.

The cause was under investigation. Firefighters at the complex said they suspected it was electrical.