Firefighters Battle 3 Alarm Medical Building Fire: MV

LAGUNA HILLS, CA — Three engines responded to a secondtory structure fire in the Laguna Hills area near the boundary of Mission Viejo Thursday morning, Orange County Fire Authority said. Smoke billowed from the roof of the medical building located on the 25200 block of La Paz just before 7 a.m. Roughly 85 firefighters arrived to battle the blaze which filled the area with smoke.

See dramatic photos from the scene shared by a Patch Contributor.

OCFA Investigators ruled that a space heater left too close to flammable materials in a medical office was to blame.

The fire erupted into the attic of the second story medical office, OCFA Capt. Tony Bommarito told Patch. Firefighters knocked down the second floor blaze in about an hour, bringing the incident completely under control by 9 a.m.

Firefighters worked fast to extinguish and prevent further damage to the building and attic, using "solid truck ventilation," which was a "key component" to the battle, according to Bommarito.

No injuries were reported in the fire. Units remained on the scene until after noon for salvage and overhaul.

Patch Poster: Anne LeMay photo; OCFA Photos