Apartment Fire Prompts Evacuations

A fire broke out at a Newport Beach apartment complex Friday night, prompting evacuations of residents, a Fire Department spokeswoman said.

No injuries were reported, said Jennifer Schulz of the Newport Beach Fire Department.

"On Friday evening, a resident smelled smoke in her apartment.  As she tried to determine where it was coming from, the smoke alarms in her apartment began to go off," Schulz said.

Firefighters responded to the about 8:30 p.m. and found heavy smoke on the second and third floors of the building, Schulz said.

Firefighters determined the fire was coming from within the walls and in the ceiling above the fireplace of the apartment.  They opened up the walls and ceiling and extinguished the fire.  Firefighters contained the damage to the one apartment, ventilated the building of smoke and allowed residents back in after about one hour.

Damage to the unit was estimated at $70,000.  The fire is under investigation, but appears to have originated around the fireplace and moved through the walls. Schulz reminded residents that fireplaces require maintenance and the assemblies should be checked periodically by a licensed professional.

Here are some additional fire-safety tips:

• Have your chimney inspected and cleaned by a professional at least once a year.
• Use a fireplace for the type of fire it was built for. For example, do not put wood logs in a gas fireplace.
• To ensure proper fireplace assembly, have it checked by a licensed contractor.

• Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house.
• Maintain your smoke alarms.  Replace the batteries at least once a year and test them monthly to ensure they are working properly.
• Create a family fire escape plan.
• Ensure you have working fire extinguishers and know how and when to use them.