Crime & Safety

Fire Confined to 1 Room When Cigarette Ignites Blaze

Thirteen Murrieta firefighters arrived and prevented the fire from spreading to the rest of the home, it was reported.

Fire crews spared a Murrieta home Tuesday after a burning cigarette caught a bed on fire, it was reported.

Murrieta firefighters responded at 3:02 p.m. Tuesday to a report of fire in a bedroom of a home in the 40000 block of Corte Albara in The Colony retirement community, according to news release.

"Smoke was visible as two fire engines and a fire truck all arrived within 5 minutes," stated Matt Corelli, an engineer/paramedic with the Murrieta Fire Department. "At 3:12 pm, the fire was stopped and confined to the room it began."

Find out what's happening in Murrietawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The resident was home but was able to escape before crews arrived, according to Corelli.

Murrieta fire investigators determined the blaze was caused by a cigarette that caught a bed on fire and spread to other contents in the room.

Find out what's happening in Murrietawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Thirteen firefighters were ultimately used to extinguish, check for spread, and salvage the home from further damage," Corelli stated.

The fire resulted in an estimated loss of $20,000 in contents and structure damage.

"The structure and contents saved were valued at over $250,000."

This marked the second fire in The Colony the Murrieta Fire Department has responded to within a week's time. On Feb. 21, an elderly woman was rescued from her smoke-filled home when a heated therapy bag caught fire on her mattress.


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