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 to stop it.
According to KRON4, fire officials described the blaze as particularly challenging because of the complex’s density, extreme heat and rapidly moving flames.
“Crews had a tough time accessing the fire,” San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department Chief Matt Turturici said. “As they moved down the road trying to get ahead of it, every time they pulled a ceiling the fire was above them and they had to keep moving down.”
Turturici said conditions could become even more difficult as temperatures rise.
“As the temperature warms up today, you’re going to see an increase in smoke production out here and that’s just going to be natural as the humidity starts to fall and it gets a little bit warmer,” he said.
Firefighters are expected to remain at the complex through at least Tuesday as crews continue working to extinguish hotspots and assess the extensive damage.
With the building red-tagged and residents displaced, the Red Cross is managing a temporary shelter and providing other services at the PJCC in Foster City.
Residents affected by the fire can contact the Red Cross at 1-800-REDCROSS for information and assistance.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
