Firefighters rescued three people trapped on the balcony of a burning building in Orange on Monday, March 21.

Flames engulfed the second story of an apartment complex in Orange earlier today. Seven were displaced from their homes because of the blaze, including three who were trapped on a balcony and had to be rescued by firefighters. (Footage courtesy of a reader) @ocregister pic.twitter.com/LQ0EBGvubS

— Eric Anthony Licas (@EricLicas) March 22, 2022

Commuters on the 55 Freeway spotted smoke and flames coming from a two-story complex with four units on the 2600 block of North Bourbon, and began calling 911 at 5:57 p.m., Orange Fire Department spokesman Ryan O’Connor said. Flames had engulfed at least one unit on the second floor of the structure by the time first responders arrived.

Crews spotted three people on a balcony surrounded by fire with no way to reach a stairwell, O’Connor said. Firefighters extended a ladder to help them get down.

One of the trapped residents was hospitalized with minor burns, O’Connor said. The other two were examined at the scene, and declined to be taken to a hospital in an ambulance.

They and four other people were displaced from their homes by the fire, O’Connor said. The Red Cross was providing aid to the Monday evening.

It took firefighters about 20 minutes to douse the burning building. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear and was under investigation.

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