FOSTER CITY — A propane barbecue on an outdoor patio has been identified as the source of the six-alarm fire that gutted a condominium complex over the weekend, causing more than 50 units to be red-tagged and forcing more than 100 people to seek new housing, authorities said.
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The San Mateo County Consolidated Fire Department shared the revelation Wednesday, stating on social media that an exterior deck of a first-floor unit of the complex at 815 Sea Spray Lane was the origin point of the massive blaze Sunday afternoon.
The agency’s post did not provide additional detail, including whether a specific resident was to blame or more information about whether the barbecue was unattended when the fire broke out.
It took several hours for firefighters to gain control of the fire, reported around 2:30 p.m. Sunday. By that evening, firefighters pivoted to a defensive position to keep the fire from spreading to other buildings in the compound, which has several multi-unit condominium complexes arranged along a waterfront.
Four firefighters suffered injuries, one of whom was burned and at least two of whom had smoke inhalation, but all were expected to recover.
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The fire department said Wednesday that its crews had largely cleared away from the condemned complex and handed over custody to the homeowners association, but that firefighters would still monitor the property for any hotspots to prevent any fire from rekindling.
The American Red Cross is assisting displaced residents and is accepting monetary donations on its website to support affected residents. The Foster City Chamber of Commerce launched a GoFundMe fundraising page to help those displaced by the fire, noting that in addition to losing their housing and belongings, many residents also lost access to their vehicles that were parked underneath the complex.
Additionally, the Hillsdale Community Closet, run by students at Hillsdale High School in nearby San Mateo, are holding a donation drive Thursday afternoon from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the campus to help students affected by the fire given that the school year resumes next week. The group is seeking gently used or new clothing, new socks and underwear, toiletries, hygiene products, and school supplies.
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