Family appeals for help following fire

An Oak Park residence caught fire on the morning of Dec. 4, damaging the owner's house and belongings, as well as her philanthropic holiday plans.

Brenda Hagen was at her home in the 400 block of Cresthill Drive when she smelled a strong burning odor at about 11:50 a.m. She called firefighters, who arrived quickly and removed a large section of roof to reach a fire that had started in the attic. An investigation is being conducted into the cause of the blaze.

There were no injuries, and despite the extensive damage, the main part of the house was saved.

"They were here within five minutes," said Hagen as she and neighbors stood outside and watched the firefighters carry ruined contents of her attic to the front of the house.

Among the destroyed items were baskets and ribbons for a humanitarian project Hagen oversees during the Christmas and Easter holidays.

"Although the fire was confined to the attic there is still some damage throughout the house," said Capt. Ron Oatman, public information officer for the Ventura County Fire Department. "We were able to catch it quick enough and cut a hole in the roof to ventilate it."

Eight fire engines and paramedic squads from Ventura and Los Angeles counties responded. Because Oak Park is in Ventura County near the Los Angeles County border, units from L.A. County stations are sometimes able to respond more quickly than those from Ventura County can, Oatman said.

Hagen, who is a real estate agent with Prudential in Westlake Village, has provided almost 200 baskets for Meals on Wheels, Senior Concerns and Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center over the past decade. She was scheduled to have a Girl Scout troop at her house last Sat., Dec. 5 to decorate the baskets, and a group of women this Sat., Dec. 14, to fill them and wrap them.

Despite the fire, Hagen is determined to go ahead with her charity project. She hopes to obtain donations of baskets, ribbon and decorations to replace those that were lost.

Hagen's neighbor, Connie Camorlinga, was home with her daughter Lauren hanging Christmas lights when they smelled smoke. She stood outside with Hagen as the firefighters did their work.

"It could have been really bad," Camorlinga said. "The fire department was so quick. We know we're safe if anything happens to us." Basket donations can be made by calling Hagen's office at (818) 597-4538.