Garage fire displaces 7 adults, 2 children in Westminster

A fire that broke out in the garage of a Westminster home early Wednesday displaced several people and a cat, according to authorities.

The fire broke out at about 3:10 a.m. at a two-story home in the 1500 block of Balboa Street. Dozens of firefighters from the Orange County Fire Authority, Fountain Valley, and Huntington Beach fire departments were able to put out the blaze in about 35 minutes.

The fire was contained to the garage, but the home sustained significant smoke and heat damage. Images released by OCFA show the heat from the fire left doorways and ceilings blackened and charred, and even melted the blades of a ceiling fan in the kitchen.

Fire officials say a working smoke alarm alerted the residents and likely saved their lives.

One person was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. A total of seven of adults, two children, and a cat were displaced by the fire, and are being assisted by the Red Cross.