4 injured in Newport apartment explosion

NEWPORT BEACH – Three people were seriously injured and a fourth suffered moderate injuries in an explosion Wednesday morning at an apartment complex on Baywood Drive.

Ralph Restadius, an assistant chief with the Newport Beach Fire Department, said multiple calls of an explosion were reported at 9:58 a.m. Emergency units from the Costa Mesa Fire Department and the Orange County Fire Authority assisted Newport’s Fire Department.

Firefighters arrived at 10:06 a.m. and found flames and smoke coming from the first level of two apartments in the Baywood Apartment Homes, as well as an odor of gas. The fire appeared to originate in the region of a water heater in an outdoor shed, he said.

Three people suffered burns to their face and arms and were taken to local hospitals. A fourth person drove to a local hospital.

“It looks like they might have been employees at this time,” Restadius said.

Approximately 50 residents have been temporarily evacuated from their homes.

Resident Molly Lasley said when she heard an explosion, she thought there had been an earthquake.

“But I checked my app, but there was no earthquake on my app,” she said. “The response from the Fire Department was phenomenally good.”

The cause of the explosion is not known yet, Restadius said.

Contact the writer: 714-704-3704 or efields@ocregister.com

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