8-Alarm Construction Site Fire in Redwood City Prompts Urgent Evacuations

A devastating fire erupted at a building site in Redwood City, where affordable housing was under construction. The blaze quickly escalated to an eight-alarm emergency, prompting immediate evacuations of nearby residential areas for safety.

(Photo : Pexels/Vladimir Shipitsin )

8-Alarm Construction Fire

On Monday morning, Jun 3, at approximately 10:15 a.m., a fire broke out on the fifth level of a building site in Redwood City. When crews attempted to put the wind under control, they encountered a challenge in the form of the wind. Officials declare that an eighth warning has been set off because of the situation. Therefore, residents of Dumbarton Avenue between the train tracks and Middlefield Road were also encouraged to evacuate.

According to the sheriff, fire crews are currently present in the area. Moreover, deputies were at the scene while the fire was growing to evacuate residents. People were asked to stay away from the area. However, since the fire was near the Caltrain lines, the service was disrupted, and trains were made to wait as personnel tried to extinguish the fire. A bus bridge was constructed between Redwood City and Menlo Park to accommodate passengers impacted by the train delays, and SamTrans conducted a parallel service.

At approximately 12:35 p.m., the fire had largely consumed the building, leaving only the skeletal metal frame standing intact. As the construction site continued to collapse, smoke continued to rise from the remains. Immediately following the fire's extinguishment, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District published a post about the effects of smoke from the fire.

It was mentioned in the post that areas located downwind from the location, such as Redwood City, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Santa Clara, and San Jose, may notice a decrease in air quality. Redwood City's Veterans Memorial Senior Center, located at 1455 Madison Avenue, has been designated as a temporary evacuation site effective immediately. People forced to flee their homes due to the fire will have access to facilities there. 

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Effect of the Fire on the Nearby Schools

The development site, near the boundary between Redwood City and North Fair Oaks in San Mateo County, contains 179 affordable housing units that will be referred to as Middlefield Junction. After the Fair Oaks Health Center, the county holds a vacant tract of property. In addition to a child care center and a community open space, the project was supposed to include brand-new apartments with one to three bedrooms among its components.

Accordingly, $155 million was anticipated to be spent on the project. Nevertheless, as a result of the latest fire, the structure is expected to be a total loss, as stated by the officers in charge of firefighting, who referred to the building as a 'tinder box.'  Fire officials have reported that approximately 150 individuals have been evacuated.

Students attending Everest High School, which is located nearby, have been instructed to remain in their current locations. Hoover Elementary School, which is located a short distance away, also has a shelter-in-place. Another school in the neighborhood, Connect Community Charter, is functioning normally as of right now.

Furthermore, due to smoke in the surrounding region, students at Garfield Elementary School, another school in the area, have been excused for the day. The employees at Fair Oaks Health Center, which is operated by San Mateo County Health, have also been evacuated, as stated by the county health department. The institution's staff is assisting patients in rescheduling their appointments.

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