Fire at Mira Mesa Apartment Complex Not Related to Earthquake, Official Says

San Diego, CA — Authorities did not immediately suspect that a fire early Friday at a Mira Mesa apartment complex was related to a 5.2-magnitude Borrego Springs-area earthquake that jolted the region.

The fire at Casa Apartments, located at 8388 Capricorn Way, was reported at 1:13 a.m., less than 10 minutes after the quake, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Spokesman Lee Swanson.

The blaze broke out in a first-floor apartment of a two-story building, according to Swanson. He said heavy smoke and fire was coming from the apartment when the first engine crew arrived.

"The cause is under investigation," Swanson said. "There is no reason to think it was at all related to the earthquake, though the call came only a few minutes after the quake."

Apartment Fire: 8392 Capricorn Way -Mira Mesa. Damage to 2 apartments. 1 patient to hospital. pic.twitter.com/iraX4PhZJS
— SDFD (@SDFD) June 10, 2016

A call was immediately put out for additional firefighters in order to keep the fire from spreading to the apartment above, Swanson said, but "as crews attacked the fire, they determined it would not spread to the second floor and the second-alarm units were canceled."

The woman whose apartment caught fire had to be taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. She told authorities she was awakened by her smoke alarm.

Although "fire companies did a great job in keeping the fire damage to one apartment," Swanson said, there was considerable smoke damage to the apartment directly above it, as well as some smoke damage to adjoining units.

The Red Cross was called to help the resident of the second-story apartment find temporary housing.

The total loss was estimated at $800,000: $400,000 in fire and smoke damages to the first-story apartment and $200,000 for lost contents, plus $200,000 in damages to the surrounding apartments.