An electronic cigarette being charged in a Lomita residence while no one was home sparked a fire that caused an estimated $150,000 worth of damage and killed a pair of pet ferrets Tuesday.
The blaze in the 700 block of Glencoe Drive erupted about 11 a.m., according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.
Neighbors used garden hoses to try to douse the flames prior to the arrival of engine crews, who got the fire under control within about 10 minutes, SDFRD Capt. Joe Amador said. The personnel found the dead animals in cages in a bedroom.
The American Red Cross was called in to help the six adults who live in the house arrange for interim lodging.
Investigators set the damage tally at $100,000 to the single-story structure and $50,000 to contents, Amador said.
