Downtown blaze clears high-rise

The intersection of Marshall Street and Jefferson Avenue was shut down while hundreds of employees evacuated the building which is home to Sequoia Hospital Health & Wellness Services, a pharmaceutical company, a sleep disorder clinic and a number of law offices.

Whether or not they will return to work today is up to the building's owner who may have water and electrical damage to fix.

The building is one of the three tallest buildings in Redwood City and directly across the street from Fire Station 9.

The fire could have been harder to fight if engine 9 was out of commission - as it is 60 days of the year. Response time could have been a minute or two longer if the engine was out of commission, said Kohlmann.

A budget crunch last year forced Redwood City Council to reduce the hours of Station 9. For 60 days of the year, the engine is not manned and fire response falls on the two other engines located on Jefferson and Second avenues.

Yesterday's fire was difficult to fight because it was on the top floor, said Kohlmann.

Having a fire break out across the street from the fire station didn't faze Kohlmann much.

"We have about as much chance here as anywhere else in the city," he said.

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.