Fire Officials Investigating Cause of 6-Alarm Fire in Redwood City

Written by Bay City News

It will likely be Thursday or Friday before the San Mateo County coroner produces an identification on the sole victim who perished in a six-alarm fire Sunday night in Redwood City that injured more than 20 people and displaced 97 residents, a coroner's spokeswoman confirmed today.

Fire investigators have pinpointed the location of the start of the fire, which broke out at 2 a.m. at the Hallmark House Apartments at 531 Woodside Road in Redwood City, but the cause remains a mystery today, Redwood City Fire Marshal James Palisi said. The blaze is believed to have originated in an upstairs apartment unit on the east side of 72-unit structure, he said. According to Palisi, the fire of the four-story structure burned fast, and the first responding crews were confronted with a massive rescue effort.

"They were pulling people off of balconies, off stairways, our primary concern was to get people out of the building," Palisi said. It was no small task, he said, given the fire took place at a major residential dwelling in the middle of the night when the majority of the residents were sleeping.

"It was very much a heroic effort by all of our emergency services, we did everything we needed to do immediately," Palisi said. On Tuesday, displaced residents were briefly escorted by fire and police officials back into their units that were either burnt or heavily damaged by water. Residents were given 10 minutes to collect their belongings from their units. The time constraint, according to the city, was to best assure safety of all people entering the charred structure. The American Red Cross, the city of Redwood City and San Mateo County agencies are working hard to provide services to those displaced, including a temporary shelter at the National Guard Armory at 939 Valota Road in Redwood City, according to Pooja Trivedi, a Red Cross spokesperson who has been at the shelter providing aid to victims all day.

Trivedi said the overall mood is good, despite the needs of the victims. From prescription needs to wheelchairs, canes and eyeglasses, the agencies are working hard provide for the fire victims. Trivedi said since the shelter opened its doors Sunday night, there has been a steady flow of occupants -- as many as 30 on some nights -- bringing the total number of overnight stays to 85. "We've opened 65 client cases -- which is pretty good considering it was a 72-unit structure," said Trivedi. With respect to the shelter, Trivedi said, "there is no definite close date, the shelter will run until all shelter needs have been met." With the help of St. Vincent DePaul and the Salvation Army, there have been 2,328 meals served to residents for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Trivedi said.

The Salvation Army, located at 660 Veterans Blvd. in Redwood City, is accepting donations of funding or clothing for fire victims, according to Malcolm Smith, Redwood City's public communications manager. Smith said in addition to the Red Cross, the city, partner aid agencies and the county, the community has been overwhelmingly helpful in its efforts. About 20 fire engines and five ladder trucks were on scene of the apartment fire, a total of 75 firefighters, six battalion chiefs, four chief officers and a force of paramedics, police and sheriff's officers were on scene to aid in the effort. Palisi said.

Three firefighters were moderately injured with burns and smoke inhalation, but Palisi added, "they are doing just fine today." The fire occurred on the heels of a busy Fourth of July holiday weekend, and one day following the crash of Asiana Airways Flight 214 at SFO, with fireboats from Redwood City, Foster City and South San Francisco all dispatched to the airport to aid in the rescue effort. More word on the cause of the Redwood City fire should be forthcoming, Palisi said.