Miracle Mansion Defies Fire -- Engineer Built Home To Last - And It Did

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. - Civil engineer To Bui built his four-bedroom ocean-view home with his own hands so it would last. And it did.

His was the only million-dollar home standing in a neighborhood where virtually every other house was demolished by a firestorm Wednesday.

"I am just so very happy," said Bui, who was raised in Vietnam and lived in Germany for 20 years before moving to the United States in 1989.

"This house, I build myself," he said yesterday. "I wanted it to stay in fires or anything."

Many of the neighboring homes lost in the blaze were wood with flammable shingle roofs. Bui's house was made of stucco with a ceramic tile roof and double-glazed windows for energy conservation.

The only damage to Bui's house was a few shattered panes of the exterior windows. The interior panes were undamaged.

As flames began claiming the canyon-side neighborhood late Wednesday afternoon, the 42-year-old engineer fled so fast he didn't have time to pack any belongings. He escaped under a sky churning with molten embers and swirling winds.

No firefighters were in the immediate vicinity, but not long after his retreat, help arrived. A fire crew discovered a working hydrant next to Bui's home and aimed their hoses at Bui's residence and one on either side of his house. Both of those were already on fire. They battled for three hours, but only one remained.

"It looked like a good gamble," firefighter Jeff Genoway said.

Yesterday, Genoway was again assigned to Tahiti Avenue to douse hot spots near Bui's home.

On Bui's side of the street, five homes were destroyed. Nine houses across the street were lost. A block behind him, on Caribbean Way, more than 20 homes were consumed in the firestorm.

Genoway talked to Bui about the rescue.

"I told him that we didn't do anything special. We did our job," Genoway said. "Nevertheless, it felt very good. It felt like we all accomplished something by saving this house."

Bui's wife, Doris Bender, 44, said it was a miracle the family home was saved.

"When I saw it, I felt happiness, and I cried," she said. "I was so thankful. It's like a wonder."