Firefighters Battle Structure Fires; Man Injured

Firefighters in Newport Beach were busy Sunday responding to 20 emergency calls and treating one man who suffered burns from an apartment fire.

"It's been getting busier," said Jennifer Schulz, spokeswoman for the Newport Beach Fire Department. "We tend to see more fires in the winter because of  holiday decorating and cooking and people heating their homes."

Schulz said residents should make sure a working smoke alarm is installed in homes and a fire escape plan should be in place. She also encourages residents to follow the department's holiday safety tips.

Highlights: Sunday, Dec. 11

• At 4:13 p.m. firefighters responded to an apartment fire in the 300 block of Marine Avenue on Balboa Island. The fire started in the oven and smoke filled the apartment, Schulz said. The fire was extinguished and no injuries were reported.

• At 4:44 p.m. firefighters responded to another apartment fire in the 6100 block of Residencia. Schulz said the fire was burning in debris on the balcony and the resident of the apartment was transported to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana with significant burns. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

• At 8:42 p.m. firefighters responded to a report of smoke and a possible attic fire in the 1900 block of Tradewinds, but were unable to locate any source for the smoke.  Schulz said at 9:59 p.m. firefighters were re-dispatched to the home and found a light haze of smoke inside. A hot spot was located in a wall adjacent to an electrical sub-panel at the rear of the home. The wall was opened up and charring was found that had burned entirely through framing in the wall cavity. The cause of the fire is under investigation.