Overview
- A six-alarm blaze at 815 Sea Spray Lane began on a unit balcony and damaged about 50 condos, displacing nearly 150 residents and injuring four firefighters on Aug. 2, 2026.
- San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe announced prosecutors will not file criminal charges after reviewing the investigation and the evidence.
- Police arrested resident Keith Tompkins after the fire but prosecutors said their interview showed no intent to start a fire and that at most the facts suggest civil negligence.
- Fire investigators located the origin area near a propane grill on the balcony but the written fire report classified the cause as 'undetermined' and could not conclusively tie the grill to ignition.
- The complex, built in 1981, lacked a sprinkler system because it predates a local requirement, and officials expect insurance claims, possible civil suits, and policy reviews to follow as residents recover.