Local News in Brief : Costa Mesa : 10-Acre Brush Fire Blamed on Fireworks
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Two boys playing with illegal fireworks were blamed for a fire Thursday afternoon that blackened 10 acres of brush in the Fairview Regional Park area near Placentia Avenue, fire officials said.
The fire broke out about 2:30 p.m. and 20 firefighters controlled it within two hours. The Fire Department received several calls from residents who saw the black smoke over the area between Placentia Avenue and the Santa Ana River.
“It was definitely fireworks because we saw remains of firecrackers,” Battalion Chief Bill Raymer said. “The brush was dry enough and the wind caught it just at the right time. It was a little fire that became a biggie in a hurry.”
Witnesses told investigators that they saw two boys playing with the fireworks before the brush went up in flames, Raymer said.
He also said that firefighters initially had a problem getting their trucks into the area because the ground is soft and sandy.
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