Authorities Investigating Oceanside Apartment Fire

An investigation was under way today to determine what sparked an Oceanside apartment fire that caused $50,000 in damage and left a woman and her four children displaced.

The fire at the five-unit apartment building at 231 Blossom Way in the San Luis Rey area of Oceanside was reported at 4:11 p.m. Tuesday, according to Oceanside fire Battalion Chief Pete Lawrence. Firefighters arrived five minutes later and brought the flames under control in 17 minutes, he said in a statement.

While fighting the blaze, a fire captain was struck on his helmet by a falling object, Lawrence said, adding that the captain was evaluated at Tri- City Medical Center and released at 10 p.m. Tuesday. Though his injury was not life-threatening, he is not being allowed to return to work right away, according to the battalion chief.

The apartment renter's four children were home with a babysitter when the fire broke out but none of them were hurt, Lawrence said.

Damage to the apartment unit was estimated at $45,000 to the structure and $5,000 to its contents, he said.

—City News Service