Laguna Niguel fire: More than a dozen multimillion-dollar mansions destroyed

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. - More than a dozen multimillion-dollar mansions have been damaged and/or destroyed after a wildfire erupted in Laguna Niguel Wednesday afternoon.The Coastal Fire swept through a prestige neighborhood in Laguna Niguel prompting hundreds of households to evacuate and destroying multimillion-dollar homes.

The blaze erupted in the brush in Aliso Wood Canyon between Laguna Niguel and Laguna Beach. As of Thursday morning, Captain Virgil Asuncion who serves as the Chief of Police Services for the city of Laguna Niguel, said 900 homes are under evacuation orders.The wind and terrain-driven fire marched relentlessly through an enclave of multimillion-dollar estates on the hillside overlooking the ocean, leading to evacuations of dozens of residents and high school students in the community.LATEST ON THE COASTAL FIRE: Coastal Fire torches homes in Laguna Niguel area, evacuations ordered for parts of OC  According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, mandatory evacuations were issued for three streets in Laguna Niguel: Coronado Pointe, Vista Court, and Via Las Rosas.

There are at least 100 structures on those streets and all roads leading to the area were closed. As of 8 p.m. Wednesday, Orange County fire officials said at least 20 homes were lost or damaged.One resident returned to his home to assess the damage to his home, located in a gated community on Coronado Pointe on Thursday morning."It’s devastating, it’s shocking" Laguna Niguel resident Ritz Sherman said holding back tears.

FOX 11's crews were outside one of the homes in Laguna Niguel where a Tesla exploded and one of the homes was completely burned to the ground.Some of the homes that were destroyed or damaged by the blaze are located on.