Garage Explodes in Capo Beach; One Injured

A 31-year-old man was seriously injured today in an explosion and fire in the garage of a Capistrano Beach residence.

The single-story house, an attached studio apartment and two other nearby apartments were damaged in the noon explosion and blaze in the 26800 block of Vista Del Mar, which was brought under control at 12:54 p.m., Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi said.

The force of the explosion threw a door across an alley and blew out the windows of apartments in a neighboring building, he said.

Investigators found multiple bottles of propane and butane bottles in the garage, Concialdi said, adding the residents own a catering business.

The victim was taken to the burn unit at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana in serious condition, Concialdi said.

Retired fire captain Ron Sanchez, who lives in the neighborhood, helped evacuate some residents and told responding firefighters he got everyone out of the buildings, Concialdi said.

"That enabled our firefighters to concentrate on the main body of fire and by doing that they limited the damage to additional structures," Concialdi said.

-- City News Service

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