A 66-year-old woman was taken to the hospital Monday night after a four-alarm fire destroyed her house, damaged her neighbor's house and started a small grass fire near the Millbrae BART station.
The woman was taken to a local hospital and treated for smoke inhalation. Her family on scene reported she was OK and that a grandson was with her. Her house, at 259 Aviador Ave., was charred beyond repair and the fire that gutted it almost took out the house next door. The fire spread to the roof of 255 Aviador Ave., causing moderate damage, said San Mateo Battalion Chief Mike Borean at the scene.
Firefighters responded to the call at 8:15 p.m. and quickly called for backup when they saw how close the fire was to neighboring homes. It reached four alarms when sparks from the fire lit a small patch of grass on fire on property owned by Bay Area Rapid Transit. About 40 firefighters from Millbrae, Central County, San Mateo, South San Francisco, Foster City and California Department of Forestry responded to the call.
Preliminary reports indicate the fire started in the rear of the house near a laundry room and a couple of makeshift shelters apparently used for auto repairs. However, the cause is still under investigation, Borean said.
The Red Cross was prepared to help with housing, but both the woman and her neighbors found relatives and friends to stay with last night, a representative from the San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services reported.
Residents on the small tree-lined street were prohibited from driving to their homes while firefighters flooded the street with equipment. The small street forced fire trucks to line up blocks away from the small one-story home, making it difficult for crews to reach the blaze.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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