Candle in bathroom starts fire, killing two pet dogs

An unattended candle in a “four-plex” on Hilaria Way killed two dogs and caused $15,000 in damage before Newport Beach firefighters managed to extinguish it, authorities said.

At 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, 21 Newport Beach firefighters rushed to the scene, after reports of smoke and high heat coming from the area. A candle left burning in the bathroom sparked the blaze, according to authorities.

“We were alerted because of the smoke,” said fire department spokeswoman Jennifer Schulz. “Other people saw heavy smoke and flames and were calling it in.”

Two residents and one dog escaped safely, but two other dogs did not survive, she said.

Firefighters worked quickly and kept the blaze from spreading out of a bedroom and the bathroom, and other units in the building were not damaged.

The blaze led authorities to warn residents about candle fires and offered these safety tips: Extinguish all candles when leaving a room or going to sleep; use sturdy candleholders that won’t tip over, aren’t flammable, and are large enough to collect dripping wax; don’t use candles in places where children or pets can knock them over; and keep candles away from windows and flammable items like curtains, clothing and paper.

— Michael Alexander