Trash can fire burns part of Costa Mesa commercial building

Authorities are investigating what caused a trash can in Costa Mesa to catch fire Wednesday evening and burn part of a single-story commercial building, Capt. Joe Noceti said Thursday.

Members of the Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue Department responded to a report of the fire in the 1700 block of Monrovia Avenue shortly before 6 p.m., said Noceti. The area features a strip mall and Noceti said the blaze seemed to originate at the rear of what appeared to be a paint and wood business.

When authorities arrived, firefighters searched the vacant structure and evacuated others in surrounding buildings. They forced entry and quickly put out the blaze.

The “fire [was] isolated to a trash can that extended to the wall in the rear of business,” Noceti said.

Authorities did not have immediate contact with the business owner because they weren’t on scene during the incident, Noceti said.

No injuries were reported.

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