'Utter chaos': How the Coastal fire destroyed mansions despite firefighters' efforts
Andreas Frank watched from the second story of his ridge-top Laguna Niguel home as the hillside below began to smolder.
It was May 11, and his partner, Kamal Al-Faqih, was in the backyard grilling ribs in preparation for their nephew's high school graduation party. Frank banged on the window and pointed toward the smoke in nearby Aliso Woods Canyon.
Six minutes later — at 2:49 p.m. — the flames had grown, jumping to an adjacent ridge on the rolling hillside. He called 911. After that, it took less than 10 minutes for the inferno to double in size.
"At first it was just burning in the canyon," Frank said, "but when the winds started, it just took off."
The couple decided to leave before the flames got closer to their home on Coronado Pointe. They grabbed photos and DVDs with sentimental value and headed for safety while they could still make it out.
By the time the fire was fully contained six days later, 20 homes, many with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, had burned to the ground, and 11 others were badly damaged. Images
