By Gina Yarbrough
Oceanside, CA–Several families were displaced early Sunday morning after a fire broke out in the garage of a beachfront short-term rental home in Oceanside, according to the Oceanside Fire Department.
Firefighters were dispatched to the residence at approximately 12:54 a.m. following reports of a residential structure fire. Initial reports indicated flames were coming from the home’s attached garage.
Working smoke alarms alerted the occupants, allowing everyone inside to safely evacuate before firefighters arrived.
Crews reached the scene about four minutes after being dispatched and found smoke coming from a closed garage door. After confirming all occupants were safely outside, firefighters forced entry into the garage, deployed hose lines, and quickly extinguished the fire before it could spread into the living areas of the home.
No injuries were reported among residents or firefighters.
Although the fire was contained to the garage, the residence sustained significant smoke damage. Utilities were shut off, leaving several families staying at the vacation rental displaced.
Fire investigators determined the blaze originated in an electrical equipment cabinet located in the garage. The specific electrical component that sparked the fire has not yet been identified, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The Oceanside Fire Department reminds residents and visitors that working smoke alarms can provide critical early warning during a fire. Officials advise anyone who hears a smoke alarm to treat it as an emergency by waking everyone in the home, evacuating immediately, remaining outside, and calling 911 from a safe location. Fire officials also urge people never to ignore a sounding smoke alarm or delay evacuation to investigate the source of smoke or fire.
