Lantern Starts House Fire in Garden Grove
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GARDEN GROVE — Lee Merlino stood in front of his fire-ravaged home on Ferrari Lane Tuesday morning and talked about how he had been planning to pay his long overdue electric bill that day.
He was one day too late.
Just before 6 a.m., fire broke out in the three-bedroom home when one of the gas lanterns Merlino had been using since his electricity was turned off six weeks ago toppled over and ignited a blaze.
It took 16 firefighters about 15 minutes to control the fire, which destroyed 80% of the house and caused minor damage to two surrounding homes in the tract near Magnolia Street and Chapman Avenue, said Garden Grove Fire Capt. Ed Lukas.
The fire caused an estimated $70,000 in damage to the home.
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