Overview
- San Mateo County prosecutors announced they will not file criminal charges against the man who was arrested after the large condominium blaze because the case did not show the intent required for a crime.
- The fire heavily damaged or destroyed about 50 units and displaced nearly 150 residents, and four firefighters suffered minor injuries during the response.
- Fire and police investigators traced the origin to the balcony of the unit where the suspect and his elderly mother lived and located the area of a propane grill, but the formal fire report called the cause 'undetermined' and did not link the grill conclusively to ignition.
- Prosecutors said interviews and police work showed no evidence the blaze was started on purpose and characterized any improper use of the grill as at most civil negligence, leaving potential civil claims separate from criminal liability.
- The condominium lacked a sprinkler system because it was built before a local ordinance required sprinklers, a factor officials said likely increased the fire’s damage and raises questions about safety in older buildings.