Blaze Ravages Lake Forest Home

As of Wednesday afternoon, Orange County firefighters were still on the scene of an extinguished Midcrest Drive blaze making sure all the hot spots were out and the home wouldn't re-ignite.

"It took about 30 minutes to knock the fire down," said OCFA Capt. Marc Stone at about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday. "It was a good, aggressive attack that kept the fire from spreading to other homes. They're doing an extended overhaul operation -- they'll be there for quite some time."

Although an investigation is in progress, Stone indicated the fire appeared to have begun in the garage. No one was home at the time of the fire.

Dispatchers received the call from the neighborhood around 21601 Midcrest Drive in Lake Forest at 10:40 a.m., Stone said. Firefighters initially on the scene found flames bursting from the garage, "lapping up into the second floor and breaching the attic," he said.

Some 45 firefighters initially responded to quench the flames in the two-alarm fire, Stone said. The house was unoccupied at the time of the fire.

No one was injured in the blaze, but firefighters were still searching for a missing dog and cat, Stone said.