4 firefighters injured responding to massive blaze at Foster City complex

FOSTER CITY, Calif. - Firefighters in Foster City fought a large blaze that broke out at a condominium complex on Sunday afternoon, drawing a massive six-alarm response as crews worked for hours to control the flames.

First reports

What we know:

San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department units were dispatched to the Spinnaker Cove apartment complex at 815 Sea Spray Lane just after 2:30 p.m. Responding firefighters arrived to find heavy flames on the first and second floors of the three-story building.

The emergency quickly escalated from a four-alarm fire to a six-alarm response by 4 p.m., allowing crews to rotate out due to intense heat compounded by elevated outdoor temperatures.

"We don’t get the hot, hot days here a lot, but wearing the gear, it’s 100 pounds, they’re working their butts off," San Mateo Consolidated Fire Chief Matt Turturici said. "It’ll wear you out quick."

Seven and a half hours into the effort, crews continued working as the building was left severely damaged, with open views visible straight through parts of the structure. Fire officials noted the building's layout presented ongoing challenges to containment.

"So many little nooks and crannies we can’t get the water to," Turturici said. "But I know our crews are up there working hard. And we’ll be here for a while."

Danger inside

Dig deeper:

Fire dispatch received numerous calls from residents reporting they were trapped inside. Rescue operations became an immediate priority as crews worked alongside several neighboring departments to pull occupants from third-story windows after flames tore down a third-floor hallway.

"Rescue was a priority as a number of people were calling and saying that they were trapped," Turturici said.

Neighbors outside watched as the fast-moving fire spread. Resident Abdi Tabrizi saw his own condo engulfed in flames during the incident.

"What was going through my mind, I hope everybody’s safe," Tabrizi said. "I was telling my wife I hope nobody gets hurt, and the building, everything else, we can rebuild that, we can rebuild."

Roughly 30 minutes into the firefight, two firefighters conducting a search on the third floor experienced a flashover and lost track of each other in heavy smoke, triggering a Mayday distress call.

"It was one of our truck companies. They were conducting a search in black conditions," Turturici said. "They had a flash over them and they lost each other. They were in pairs of two. They were looking for each other."

Rescuers launched an immediate search for the pair and brought them out safely. Turturici became emotional when reflecting on the close call.

"When I hear a Mayday, it’s tough," Turturici said.

Four firefighters were injured during the response. Two were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, and a third suffered burn injuries. 

The Foster City Police Department confirmed the building was fully evacuated, and there were no reported injuries among residents.

What's next:

Red Cross was called to the scene to connect displaced residents with resources.

Turturici said firefighters would remain on scene for an indeterminate amount of time to ensure the flames were doused.

Foster City