Wind-fueled fire ravages businesses

NEWPORT BEACH — A fire near John Wayne Airport gutted almost half of a seven-unit business complex Sunday afternoon, destroying a barber shop, flower shop and a law office, fire authorities said.

The remaining businesses at Commerce Plaza at 4100 Birch Street have been closed and yellow-flagged until further notice, according to fire officials. Thirty-nine firefighters from Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana and the Orange County Fire Authority responded to the fire which was reported at 2:18 p.m. The blaze was extinguished in about 30 minutes, said Jenn Shulz, Newport Beach Fire spokeswoman. She said no one was injured in the fire.

“Initial damage to the structure has been estimated at $275,000 and approximately $100,000 for it contents,” Shulz said. J.D. Dimaculangan of Long Beach was just down the street when he saw the flames.

“We were driving by and my girlfriend said ‘look at the smoke,’” Dimaculangan said.

After calling 911, Dimaculangan filmed the flames blazing through a front window facing Birch Street.

When Newport fire fighters turned the corner onto Birch Street they saw heavy smoke, Shulz said. The presence of heavy winds moved firefighters to call it a second-alarm fire.

Authorities believe the blaze originated in the flower shop, although the cause is still under investigation.