Seniors rescued, Orange apartment complex damaged in fire

ORANGE, Calif. (KABC) -- An elderly couple was rescued after a second-floor unit at an Orange County senior apartment complex erupted in flames Sunday afternoon.

The blaze broke out before 1 p.m. in the 300 block of Glassell Street in Orange. Fire crews arrived and found several residents trapped on balconies.

One apartment was destroyed by the flames. Mary Daldez, who lives in the unit, said she had been cooking food for a party in the building. She went downstairs for a short time and then returned to her apartment on fire.

"The moment I opened the door I had to shut it, all the smoke came out, black smoke. I couldn't even see inside," Daldez said.

Officials said five residents were treated for mild smoke inhalation and three were hospitalized. Other residents of the complex were able to escape from the blaze on their own. The building houses about 70 people.

It took firefighters about 20 minutes to knock down the flames. The building sustained significant smoke and water damage.