Home fire kills family dog, razes car in Costa Mesa

An extra-alarm blaze in Costa Mesa killed a family’s dog, caused $300,000 in damage and displaced a couple Friday night, authorities said.

The fire, which damaged the back part of 215 Magnolia St., and slightly affected the two neighboring homes, started about 7:15 p.m. and was knocked down about 7:35 p.m., according to Eighth Battalion Chief Scott Broussard. Other than the dog, Shammy, no one else was hurt.

Authorities worried initially that the blaze, which also destroyed a car in the garage, would spread to the neighboring homes because it started in the back where there are no hydrants, Broussard said. Firefighters had to run the hoses through the side of the house to the back to extinguish the blaze.

“When we got here the home was fully engulfed in flames, but no one was inside,” Police Sgt. Darrel Raney said. “Fortunately, they were able to contain it to the one house because it easily could have gotten to both sides.”

The couple who lived in the house will stay at their son’s home next door, Broussard said. Fortunately, most of the family was at the son’s house when the fire started so no one other than the dog was hurt.

— Paul Anderson