San Clemente Fire Leaves 34 Homeless
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SAN CLEMENTE — A fire gutted two apartments and damaged another Sunday afternoon, leaving 34 people homeless, officials said. Nobody was injured.
The fire began at about 1:10 p.m. Sunday in the 100 block of Escalones. Witnesses said it started on a ground-floor apartment, traveled to a second-floor apartment and swept to another building, Acting Fire Capt. Mike Brown said.
Investigators were searching for clues that the blaze may have been triggered by arson, he said.
Three San Clemente fire engines, one Orange County fire engine and one county firetruck responded to the blaze, which took 24 minutes to extinguish.
Judy Iannaccone, a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross, said the agency was providing food and shelter at a local motel for 14 adults and 20 children.
Brown said there were eight people living in one apartment and nine in another, but said he could not account for where all 34 people were living.
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