OC investigators looking at whether illegal fireworks sparked several area fires
Investigators in Orange County are looking at whether illegal fireworks were to blame for a number of fires throughout the area on the Fourth of July holiday.
Glen Colby, in Fullerton, was one of the first people to get water on his garage after it burst into flames and then spread to his home around midnight. Neighbors rushed to help the homeowner as firefighters rolled in.
The cause of the blaze at Colby's home is under investigation, but firefighters shared their thoughts with the homeowner.
"Probably a firework, that's what they're saying. A fireman said that," Colby told CBSLA.
Illegal fireworks are to blame for a fire in Santa Ana. The Orange County Fire Authority tweeted that crews were able to keep flames from spreading to houses on South Flower Street, but a shed and several trees burned.
Some Anaheim residents started smelling smoke around 9 p.m. on the Fourth of July holiday, at about the same time that a garage caught fire at an apartment complex on West Broadway.
"There were a lot of fireworks, just a lot of fireworks, like going around just back here. There were some going on on this...just all around the neighborhood, a lot of fireworks coming up," Nallely De la Pena told CBSLA.
Firefighters had to saw through several steel doors to extinguish flames. The cause of that fire is being investigated.
In Huntington Beach, firefighters determined that improperly discarded fireworks ignited a fence on Edgemont Drive, which then spread to the corner of a roof. The damage was minor, fortunately.
Back in Fullerton, people who know the Colby family chipped in to haul out debris and board up the garage. Colby himself was in tears after one neighbor showed up with food and drinks. Another neighbor even opened his home, so the Colbys would have a place to stay.
"He realized that the power and gas and the water is all shutoff. So, he cleaned out his fridge in his garage and came and cleaned out this fridge and put it in his fridge. We didn't ask him to do that," Colby said, tearing up.
In the meantime, Colby said he's still waiting for his insurance company to come out and survey the damage.