Man killed in apartment fire

Candles believed to have sparked the early morning blaze in a building on Balboa Boulevard.A Newport Beach man was killed early Wednesday when a fire swept through his studio apartment in the 2100 block of Balboa Boulevard, fire officials said.

Firefighters found the man unconscious at 6:46 a.m. inside a second floor apartment that was engulfed in flames. Firefighters pulled him from the burning room, and he was taken to Hoag Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

The owner of the apartment building identified the man as William Rockwood. Steve Kalatschan, the landlord, said Rockwood lived in the apartment for more than 10 years. Fire officials declined to release the man’s name.

Rockwood, who is believed to have been in his mid-60s, was retired and lived alone, Kalatschan said.

“He kind of kept to himself, never had a problem with him. He was a great tenant,” Kalatschan said.

Rockwood was well known by locals, but Kalatschan did not know if he had any family.

Other tenants inside the apartment building escaped the fire without injury, officials said.

Fire investigators believe the blaze was caused by several candles left burning close to combustible materials. Melted candles were found next to the bed and near a cushioned chair, said Fire Department investigator Jeff Boyles.

The view from the doorway of the apartment Wednesday revealed a blackened room that was charred from top to bottom. The remains of a mattress leaned against a wall and burned magazines were scattered on the floor.

Burn marks showed that the fire likely spread from the candles to an area of the room where the man kept medical supplies. Investigators believe rubbing alcohol may have accelerated the fire, Boyles said.

The fire was contained inside the man’s studio apartment and did not spread to any of the other seven units in the apartment building, officials said.

A Newport Beach lifeguard who had come to work early reported the fire and, with the help of a bystander, awakened residents to alert them to the fire. Lifeguard Lt. Mike Halphide saw gray smoke coming from the roof of the building and immediately called 911, he said.

Some residents were hesitant to leave, Halphide said.

Light smoke had filled the hallway and black smoke was pouring out the door of one of the apartments, Halphide said. He pounded on the apartment door, which felt warm from the heat, and he didn’t hear anyone inside.

“There was a lot of black smoke coming out of the No. 5 apartment,” Halphide said.

Halphide, who has gone through marine fire training, did not open the apartment door because he knew the fire could spread, he said.

“It [opening the door] could spread the fire and make evacuation for any other residents ... much more difficult,” said Jennifer Schulz, spokeswoman for the Newport Beach Fire Department.

If a hot fire is behind a closed door and deprived of oxygen, a back draft explosion could occur if oxygen is introduced, Schulz said.

Halphide has been a Newport Beach lifeguard for more than 20 years, his supervisor, Lt. Jim Turner, said.

“I was very proud of his actions,” Turner said. “From everything I’ve heard, he did an excellent job.”

Residents were allowed back into the apartment building by Wednesday afternoon.