Suspects Sought in Fire That Gutted Condo

PLACENTIA — Fire investigators were searching for suspects Thursday in connection with a fire that gutted one condominium and damaged another when a hot object was thrown onto a wood-shingle roof.

Firefighters responded to the blaze about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at 1879 Belmont Court, which was vacant at the time of the incident.

Maria Sabol, a spokeswoman with the Orange County Fire Department, said it was unclear what had landed on the roof to ignite the fire. But she speculated it might have been fireworks.

Damage at the one-story condo was estimated at $45,000. The residents--Kira Cohen and Sandi Urbanovitch, both 27--were forced to stay with relatives for the night.

Winds blew the flames to an adjacent condominium at 1875 Belmont Court. But firefighters put out the second fire before it did major harm. Damage to the two-story home was estimated at $3,000, Sabol said, and residents there were not displaced.

Because there was a mild Santa Ana wind, Sabol said, fire officials sounded a second alarm in order to provide more manpower and prevent the flames from spreading to other wood-shingle roofs.

About 30 firefighters from the county and the Anaheim Fire Department took 15 minutes to put out the flames.

Investigators asked that anyone with information on how the fire was started call the Orange County Fire Department at (714) 744-0400.