Massive apartment blaze in NorCal injures firefighters and displaces dozens
A massive fire tore through a Foster City condominium complex, damaging all 51 units and forcing residents from their homes as firefighters battled intense heat, flames and dangerous conditions.The inferno erupted around 2:30 p.m.Sunday at the complex on Sea Spray Lane, sending residents scrambling to escape as flames spread through the building.Fire crews remained at the scene Monday and are expected to stay for at least another 24 hours as they continue battling hotspots and monitoring the heavily damaged structure, San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department Deputy Chief Eric Mackintosh told The Post.The entire 51-unit building has been red-tagged by the Foster City Building Department, meaning residents cannot return to their homes.No residents were injured in the fire, though two firefighters were transported to a hospital after becoming trapped during the initial response.
Both firefighters have since been released and are recovering.For residents, the fire left behind more than charred walls and blown-out sections of the structure, it meant suddenly losing access to homes filled with years of memories.“I’m choked up,” displaced resident Keith Thompkins told ABC7.“My mom’s old, she almost died.
Horrible but I’m alright.”Thompkins said he wasn’t home when the fire broke out, but his elderly mother and her caretaker were inside.Both managed to escape safely as the flames spread.Lisa Shoulders, who lives just several units from where the fire began, said she evacuated quickly but was left worried about belongings she had to leave behind.“Our storage unit is close to the area that’s involved in it,” Shoulders said.
“We have boxes of old family pictures and mementos.”Images from the scene showed severe destruction across portions of the complex.One section of the building appeared to have been blown open after firefighters unleashed large amounts of water while battling the blaze.The fire also proved dangerous for the firefighters sent in t...