A bedridden man was saved by passersby after an explosive fire broke out from an unattended cigarette in his garage Sunday evening, the Oceanside Fire Department said.
The fire started around 3:37 p.m. in the garage of the home at 4455 La Quinta Place. The resident called the fire department and said he was still inside, but when crews arrived the man was in the backyard after neighbors took him out of the home, Oceanside Fire said.
Firefighters found heavy smoke blowing out of an open garage door and the home was fully engulfed in flames, OFD said. Before a ladder truck could cut a ventilation hole in the attic, Oceanside Fire said three large explosions from superheated oxygen tanks were felt from inside the home.
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The resident did not appear to have any injuries, but he was transported to a hospital to be evaluated, OFD said. One firefighter suffered a knee injury while carrying the resident.
Fire crews outside the home directed hose streams into the home and prevented the fire from damaging nearby homes. Firefighters knocked down the fire in a little over an hour, but the home was destroyed.
An OFD fire investigator's initial findings indicated the fire started in the garage from an unattended cigarette.
