Unsafe wiring may have caused building fire

A fire in a vacated Newport Beach commercial building caused more than $10,000 in damage before it was put out by city and county firefighters, officials said Wednesday.

The blaze, in an empty building off Campus Drive and Jamboree Road on the border of Irvine and Newport Beach, started about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and was soon noticed by passing drivers who called 9-1-1, fire officials said.

Because of the fire’s proximity to both cities, both Newport Beach and the Orange County Fire Authority responded to the incident, sending 32 firefighters to the small blaze. The fire started near the roof of the building and was extinguished in about 15 minutes, officials said.

Officials said unsafe wiring left over from the last business’ signage likely caused the fire. No one was reported injured.

— Joseph Serna