Police Say Drunken Driver Prompted Two-Alarm Fire in Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay authorities believe the driver of a Cadillac was drunk when he his car into a storage facility and ignited a two-alarm blaze early Saturday morning, according to an article in the Mercury News.

The Coastside Fire Protection District responded to reports of a vehicle accident in the 200 bock of Airport Road in Princeton at about 1:51 a.m. Saturday, officials said.

Emergency personnel found the car, with three occupants, crashed into a storage facility.

The crash subsequently caused a two-alarm fire that involved five commercial storage units, officials said.

Emergency crews from throughout the region were able to simultaneously treat the vehicle occupants and initiate a fire attack.

The vehicle involved in the crash appeared to have been traveling at a high rate of speed before impacting the structure, resulting in three serious injuries.

All three patients were transported via ground ambulance to area hospitals in serious condition.

Fifty-five firefighters from Coastside Fire Protection District / CAL FIRE, San Mateo County Fire Department / CAL FIRE, Half Moon Bay Volunteer Fire Department, Pacifica Fire Department, Belmont Fire District, San Mateo City Fire Department, and Foster City Fire Department worked cooperatively to extinguish the blaze within 90 minutes and remained on scene until 9 a.m. conducting overhaul.

Other assisting agencies included San Mateo County Sheriffs Department, CHP, PG&E and San Mateo County Building Department.

Fire damage to the structure, two vehicles, a trailer and a boat are estimated to be about $200,000.