Driver Hitting Gas Line May Have Sparked Santa Clara Strip Mall Fire
SANTA CLARA (CBS SF) – Police are looking for a person who drove into a gas line at a Santa Clara strip mall near Lawrence Expressway and may have started a two-alarm fire Wednesday afternoon, police said.
Officers are looking for a female who drove an early 1990s white two-door Honda Accord that struck a gas line at a strip mall at Poinciana Drive and White Oak Lane, police said.
Around 3:50 p.m., fire crews responded to reports of explosions at the strip mall, fire Battalion Chief David Rose said.
Crews arrived to find a heavy fire at a laundromat that spread to four other businesses, he said.
The fire has affected Poinciana Lounge, KP Liquors and ABC Laundromat, police said.
A food store and hair salon also caught on fire, Rose said.
A person inside the laundromat and a firefighter were transported to a hospital for minor injuries, he said.
PG&E announced via Twitter that their crews were able to cap the gas line at 8:41 p.m.
Acting Battalion Chief Bill Montana said that most of the fire had been contained around 6 p.m., but "we had active flame until PG&E shut the line down."
"At this point we're in fire watch mode, putting out hot spots," Montana said.
Crews will be on the scene of the fire all night, Montana said.
Officers temporarily closed off the area of Poinciana Drive and Lawrence Expressway due to the fire, police said, but the roadway had reopened by 8:04 p.m.
Anyone with information on the driver or vehicle is asked to call Santa Clara police (408) 615-5580.
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